2 
Proceedings of Boyal Society of Edinburgh. [dec. 5, 
Monday, hth December 1887. 
The Hok Lord M'LAEElSr, Vice-President, in 
the Chair. 
1. Chairman’s Opening Address. 
In commencing the business of a new Session of the Eoyal 
Society, it is natural to refer to the work of the Society in the year 
which has been completed. A Society such as this is, constituted 
for the promotion of literary and scientific research, works in two 
ways, and first and chiefly by the reading and publication of papers 
either extending the boundaries of scientific acquirement, or record- 
ing the finished results of observation and experiment which are 
the foundations of theoretical research. To this work only a 
limited number of our fellows are able to contribute, but it is to be 
hoped that such of our number as do not contribute to the Society’s 
publications may at least by their presence, and the interest which 
they manifest in the subjects of the papers, do something to encourage 
the more active members of the Society in the work of research. 
But, secondly, it is part of the proper work of this Society, by its 
organisation, its influence, and the expenditure of its funds, to aid 
the work of research in these departments, in which results cannot 
be achieved by the unaided exertions of individual members. 
I shall not attempt to enter into particulars regarding the progress 
of scientific research during the current year. To a proper estimate 
of its results it would be necessary that a report should be prepared 
by a combination of men who are themselves engaged in mathema- 
tical, physical, and biological investigation, and who are acquainted 
with the work done by specialists in their respective sciences. 
But it may be interesting to the members to hear something re- 
garding the business of the Society as an organisation working for 
public objects, and I shall endeavour to notice briefly the work in 
which the Council has been recently engaged. The condition of 
the Society itself, I am happy to say, is entirely satisfactory. 
Indeed, so far as I know, the only difficulty with which the 
Council has had to contend is the accumulation of literary material 
in our Library. Our shelves, as you see, are fiUed with books and 
