108 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 
branches of physical science which it is our privilege to study 
amount to upwards of twenty. Six new members have joined 
the Society — a fact which, taken along with the important 
one connected with the funds, may be justly deemed pleas- 
ing and conclusive proofs of prosperity. But much of the 
success of societies like ours depends upon the active exertion 
of the office-bearers, as well as upon the nature and character 
of the communications. The valuable services rendered to 
the Society by the zeal and unremitting attention of our 
excellent and indefatigable Secretary, and no less careful 
and attentive Treasurer, are deserving of the highest praise, 
and merit the unanimous approbation and thanks of the 
members. The papers read during last Session contain 
original facts and observations bearing on several highly 
interesting scientific questions, that cannot fail to support 
the former reputation of the Society, and to confer additional 
lustre upon it. There is first a communication on physical 
geography by Mr Eobert Brown, giving an analysis of the 
discoveries made on the east coast of Greenland, bearing on the 
site of the eastern and western settlements of early Scan- 
dinavian colonies, and on the connection of Scoresby's Sound 
and Jacob's Bight, with a proposal and plan for a renewed 
exploration. This active and enterprising naturalist is at 
})resent employed as botanist to the British Columbia Ex- 
pedition, and should the expedition prove successful, and 
Providence permit of his safe return, much new and valuable 
information may be anticipated from his well-known zeal, 
cultivated habits of observation, and devoted attachment to 
the pursuits of natural science. We had several interesting 
and suggestive papers on geology and mineralogy, including 
two by Mr Andrew Taylor — the first, " On the Bituminous 
Shales of Linlithgowshire and Edinburghshire,'' and the 
second, '* Eemarks on Mineralogical Classification ; " Mr 
Charles Peach *' On the Fossils of the Boulder-Clay of 
Caithness ; " the Rev. Walter Wood's " Eemarks on a Eaised 
Sea-beacli at Ardross, in the county of Fife;" Mr Alex. 
Bryson " On the Evidence of the Eise of the Shores of the 
Firth of Forth ; " and to these may be added Dr John A lex. 
Soiith's " Note of a Fireball or Aerolite," recently observed 
