PKOCEEDINGrS 



OF THE 



ROYAL PHYSICAL SOCIETY. 



EIGHTY-EIGHTH SESSION, 1858-59. 



Wednesday , November 24, 1858. Professor Balfour in the Chair. 

 The following Gentlemen were elected Members of the Society : — 



William Carruthers, Esq. ; William Turner, M.B., Demonstrator of 

 Anatomy, University of Edinburgh. Foreign Member — Count Victor 

 Motschoulsky, St Petersburgh. 



The Donations to the Library included the following, and thanks were 

 voted to the donors : — 



1. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Session 1857-58. 

 From the Society. — 2. Canadian Journal, Toronto, Nos. XV., XVI., and 

 XVII. From the Canadian Institute, Toronto. — 3. Papers read to the 

 Botanical Society of Edinburgh. By George Lawson, Ph.D. From the 

 Author. — 4. The Practical Naturalist's Guide. By James Boyd Davies. 

 From the Author. 



Professor Balfour then delivered the Opening Address as follows : — 



It has "been the usual practice in the Society that the retir- 

 ing President shall give a short address on the occasion of his 

 demitting office, and, in conformity with that custom. I have 

 been called upon by your Secretary to make a few remarks 

 this evening when I conclude my period of probation as Pre- 

 sident. The task is by no means an easy one, from the diffi- 

 culty of finding some new topic of interest on which to ex- 

 patiate. The history of the Society has been already given 

 by my predecessors, and the obituaries of the eminent mem- 

 bers who have lately been taken from us (a topic which in 

 most Societies occupies much of the opening addresses), have 



VOL. II. 



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