216 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



mean annual temperature of the lower portion of the county, 

 embracing a series of years, may be stated at 47*2 Fahr. ; 

 the rain-fall 24*6 inches. The mean annual temperature of 

 the city of Edinburgh, for the last three years previous to 

 1860, is 48°-3 Fahr., by the lists of the Meteorological So- 

 ciety. This is equal to if not higher than the annual tempe- 

 rature of any of the Scottish towns, and only 2° lower than 

 London. The annual rain-fall at Greenock, on the west 

 coast, is two-thirds more than that of Mid- Lothian. Mr 

 Rhind concluded by recommending to the members of the 

 Society, of whom there were several eminent in the various 

 departments of natural history, to combine their labours in 

 a complete investigation of the physical history of the 

 county. We owe much, he said, to the labours of our pre- 

 decessors in this respect ; and it is but just that we should 

 endeavour to do something for those who are to succeed us. 



A vote of thanks was unanimously given to Mr Rhind 

 for his address, and his valuable services while President 

 of the Society, his term of service having now drawn to a 

 close. 



The Secretary was instructed to engross in the minutes of 

 the meeting portions of the President's address referring to 

 the death of Mr William Oliphant ; and to send an extract 

 of the minute to his widow, Mrs Oliphant, as a mark of the 

 Society's respect for the memory of its late member and 

 office-bearer, and of sympathy with her in her bereavement. 



The following communications were then read : — 



I. Observatio?is on British Zoophytes and Protozoa. 



(1.) Notice of Ophryodendron abietina (Corethria sertularias). (2.) On the 

 Reproductive System of Chrysaora. By T. Strethill Wright, M.D. 



(1.) On Ophryodendron abietina. — Amongst the lower 

 classes of animals, and especially in the Protozoa, the lowest 

 class, numerous and very striking examples of homomor- 

 phism occur. " Homomorphism " is an exact simi- 

 larity in form between animals of different classes, without 

 any corresponding resemblance in their anatomical struc- 

 ture. Some of these examples may be considered fanciful, 

 as the likeness between Lacrymaria olor and the fossil 



