208 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
It only remains to mention that in obtaining the probabilities 
above set forth no account has been taken of the age of the wife at 
the date of marriage. Our conclusion therefrom will have no appli- 
cation to individual cases where the age of the wife is known, but 
are only applicable to the cases indicated at the outset, where the 
men we are considering are not contemplating marriage. In other 
words, we have calculated the probability that, if a man who is 
either now married or who is single and is not contemplating 
marriage, shall hereafter enter into a marriage at a certain age, the 
marriage will be unfruitful. 
The following Gentleman was duly elected a Fellow of the 
Society : — 
John Turnbull, Esq., of Abbey St Bathan’s. 
Monday , 19 th May 1879. 
Principal Sir ALEXANDER GRANT, Bart., 
Yice-President, in the Chair. 
1. Notice of the Death of the President of the Society. 
By the Chairman. 
Sir Alexander Grant said: — 
Gentlemen, — We cannot pass to the proceedings of this evening 
without some reference to the calamity which has befallen the 
Royal Society of Edinburgh, and under the sorrowful impression 
of which we now meet — the sudden death of our honoured 
and well-beloved President. 
We knew, alas ! gentlemen, that his health had been failing of 
late, and that when, only six months ago, he first took his seat as 
President of this Society, his vigour was impaired, at all events for 
the time. 
But when the lamp of his spirit blazed up so brightly, in the 
address which he delivered to the University, less than one month 
since, and which was received with pleasure and enthusiasm 
by the students and his colleagues, and all the large audience 
