474 ' Proceedings of Philosophical Societies. [June, 



is kept burning. Air is constantly blown into it through water 

 iby a pair of bellows to support the combustion, and allowed to 

 escape in the same manner through a valve. By this means no 

 jTiOre air can explode than what is within the lantern. Thus no 

 accident can ever happen, and the workmen will be sufficiently 

 warned to make their escape in time. 



I cannot conclude this account v/ithout mentioning two cir- 

 cumstances which Vv'ould deserve a more accurate investigation 

 than they have yet received. I never heard of any accident from 

 fire-damp in any of the coal-mines in Scotland. The accidents, 

 I am t©ld, are much more frequent in Staffordshire than about 

 Newcastle, Do these differences depend upon the nature of the 

 coal, or OR the mode of working the mine ? 



LINN^AN SOCIETY. 



May the 4th the remainder of Mr, Anderson's paper on diffe- 

 rent species of rubus was read. He terminated it with a list of 

 various rare plants which he had observed in Britain, especially 

 in Scotland. 



Some quadrupeds from North America were exhibited to the 

 Society by Lord Stanley. 



May the 21th, at the Annual General Meeting, the foliowiog 

 Officers were elected : — 



James Edward Smith, McD. President. 

 Thomas Marsh am, Esq. Treasurer, 

 Alexander Maclbay, Esq. Secretary. 

 Mr. Richard Taylor, Under Secretary. 



The five following Gentlemen were chosen into the Council ; 



John Barrow, Esq. 



Sir Thomas Gery CuUum, Bart. 



Philip Derbishire, Esq. 



Mr. James Dickson. 



Edward Lord Stanley. 



In the room of the five following Gentlemen ■ 



Henry Ellis, Esq. 

 Thomas Furly Foster, Esq. 

 Lieut.-CoL Thomas Hardwdcke. 

 Claude Scott, Esq. 

 George Viscount Valentia. 



Since the last General Meeting about four British and three 

 foreign members have died, and 34 new members have been 

 elected; so that the number of fellows at present amounts ta 

 437 3 the foreign members to 64, and the associates to 40, 



