137 
of Edinburgh, Session 1872-73. 
Numerous cretaceous particles, of the nature of otolites, are studded 
over the interior of the walls of the cysticules and utricules ; but 
none are found within the sinus impar, nor is the latter connected 
with either the air-bladder or with atria on the body of the atlas. 
Time did not permit of the author reading to the Society his paper 
in full. 
The third part of Dr Handyside’s paper will consist of an anato- 
mical description of the viscera of organic life ; and the fourth part, 
of the articular system and the endo-skeleton of the Polyodon 
gladius. 
2. On the Placentation of the Seals. By Professor Turner. 
After pointing out that the observations of Alessandrini, Eosen- 
thal, Eschricht, and Barkow on the placentation of the seals 
had been limited to the determination of the form of the placenta, 
and to the more salient facts connected with the arrangement of 
the foetal membranes, the author in this memoir proceeded to 
describe systematically the gravid uterus, the form and structure 
of the placenta, and the arrangement of the foetal membranes of 
the grey seal, Halichoerus gryphus. He was indebted to Dr M‘Bain 
and Captain Macdonald of the cruiser “ Vigilant” for the oppor- 
tunity of acquiring the gravid uterus of a recently killed specimen 
of this seal. The distribution of the utricular glands was described. 
The affinities between the placentation of the seals and the proper 
carnivora, more especially the common bitch, were pointed out. 
Differences in the degree of deciduation in the various forms of pla- 
centae were considered, and it was shown that the seal, as regards 
its placental structure, occupied a position intermediate between 
the non-deciduate mare and cetacean, and the more highly deci- 
duate forms of placenta. 
3. Second Keport by tlie Committee on Boulders appointed 
by the Society. (With a Plate.) 
In April 1871, this Committee was appointed for two purposes 
— one to ascertain the districts in Scotland where boulders ot 
interest were situated; the second, to point out such boulders as 
were deemed worthy of preservation, with a view to an appli- 
