B56 Proceedings of the Wernerian Natural History Society, 
ing the early decay to which the base of the trunk is subject 
•when this tree grows in such situations. 
Feb, 7. — Mr Macgillivray gave a detail of the characters and 
synonyms of the species of the genus Larus^ and at the same 
time exhibited specimens of the birds. — The Secretary read an 
account, contained in a letter to Professor J ameson from Lieut. 
Lament of the 91st Regiment, of the capture in the West In- 
dies of a very large Ray-fish, popularly called the Sea-devil, 
measuring 15 feet in width, and about as much in length. — Dr 
Grierson of Cockpen then read some general observations on 
Geology, Geognosy, Oryctogupsy and Mineralogy, and op the 
respective nature of those various studies. 
At this meeting the following gentlemen were elected npn- 
resident members. 
Sir William Purvis Hume Campbell, Bart. 
Richard Dobson, M. D. 
Feb. Ql. — Dr Knox read a memoir on the osseous, muscular and 
nervous system of the Ornithorynchus paradoxus, illustrating 
his description of the osseous structure by a finely prepared 
skeleton of the animal. 
The Secretary then communicated a deposition by three Shet- 
land fishermen, Daniel and Williarn Manson, and John Hender- 
son, of Yell Island, emitted on oath before Arthur Nicolson 
Esq. of Lochend, J, P., relative to a small cetaceous animal, of 
very uncommon appearance, which they had accidentally cap- 
tured at the deep-sea fishing, and taken into their boat, but soon 
afterwards released, in consequence of superstitious feelings. 
Considering the description as coming from uneducated fisher- 
men, it seems tolerably accurate, agreeing in several important 
particulars with the character of the Herbivorous Cetacea, and 
confirming the opinion, long entertained, that our own seas are 
inhabited by an animal analogous to the dpgong of the East 
Indies. 
March 6. — Professor Jameson read a description of a layer of 
clay containing petrified shells, lying under a bed of basalt, in 
the Gawilghur range of hills in the East Indies, and also an ac- 
count of the structure of the hill of Seetabuldee-Nagpoor, com- 
muni 9 ated by Mr Vaysey, surgeon to the Trigonometrical Sur- 
vey, Hyderabad, — Mr Parry then read the first part of a paper 
