, '380 Proceedings the Wernerian Natural History Society, 
Jike those of Kirkdale, fossil remains of quadrupeds now ex- 
tinct in this island. 
May 18. — Professor Jameson communicated to the Sodety 
the substance of Captain Vetch!s geognostical account of the 
Island of Foula, illustrating it by sketches. He also read a no- 
tice relative to the cannibalism of the Battas in the inte'rior of 
Sumatra, by a naturalist now engaged in exploring the Indian 
Islands, at the instance of the British Government ; together 
with an account of the Dryobalanops or Sumatran camphor- 
tree. (Already published in this volume of the Edinburgh 
Philosophical Joiirnal, p. 87, et seq>) The Professor likewise 
read extracts from Hr Haubeny*’s paper on the methods of sepa- 
rating magnesia from lime, and on its distribution through 
rocks of the transition and secondary class. (Printed in the pre- 
sent volume of this Journal, p. 108, &c.) Mr Deuchar, lectu- 
rer on chemistry, then read an account of several curious cir- 
cumstances connected with the ductility of glass, shewing that 
the most attenuated threads retain the character and shape, 
twisted, angular or tubular, of the mass from which it is spun, 
illustrating his remarks by an experiment, proving the passage 
of quicksilver through the most minute threads. The Secreta- 
ry communicated Mr Lawrence Edmondston’s account of the 
Greenland Kittiwake and Colymbtis Grylle (which has already 
appeared in this Journal, supra^ p. 94, &c.) 
Aug, 10.— This was an extraordinary meeting, called for the 
purpose of addressing the King, on occasion of liis visit to Scot- 
land. An address having been accordingly agreed on, it was 
presented to his Majesty by Professor Jameson, as President of 
the Society, at the levee held at Holyroodhouse on Saturday 
the 17th August, and afterwards published in the Edinburgh 
.Gazette of the 28d of that month. At the same time, an ele- 
gantly bound set of the Society'’s Memoirs was presented to his 
Majesty, and graciously received. 
Art. XXX.— SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 
I. NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 
ASTRONOMY. 
1. On the Solar Nutation, — A very valuable and ingenious 
iHiemoir has just been published in the Irish Trayisactions by 
