386 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 
Mr Thomas Allan read a paper “ On the Formation of the 
Chalk Strata." 
There was presented to the Society at this meeting, by the 
Most Noble the Marchioness of Huntly, a very magnificent spe- 
cimen of Coral, from the Island of Bermuda. This specimen 
was of unusual magnitude, and is supposed to be the finest in 
the kingdom. 
At the same meeting there was read a letter from Sir David 
Milne, Bart, to Professor Russell, giving an account of the me- 
thod of fishing for large corals in the Island of Bermuda. They 
are found round the island in great abundance, in about three 
feet water at low tide. They are attached principally to the 
edge of the coral reefs, where the water deepens suddenly to 10 
or 18 feet. They are fixed to the reefs by a kind of stalk, and 
seem of all sizes, from two inches to several feet in diameter, 
growing in clusters like mushrooms. When first taken out of 
the water they are of a light brown or snuff colour, but after a 
few weeks' exposure to the sun they become perfectly white. 
A paper by Mr Marrat was read, entitled, “ Observations 
on Terrestrial Refraction/' 
A r pril 16. The first part of an Account of the Life and Wri- 
tings of the late Dr Cullen was read, by Dr John Thomson. 
April 30. Mr Henry Mackenzie read the concluding part of 
his Biographical Account of Mr Home, with Critical Remarks 
on the later Poets of Great Britain. 
An account of a descent in the Diving-bell, by Dr L. T. F. 
Colladon of Geneva, was read. This paper is printed in this 
Volume, p. 8. 
May 7. Dr John Thomson read a continuation of his Ac- 
count of the Life and Writings of the late Dr Cullen. 
At the same meeting there was read a notice by Mr John 
Ramage of Aberdeen, respecting a stickleback found with a 
leech in its intestines. The leech and the stickleback, which Mr 
Ramage had preserved, were presented, at his request, to the 
Museum of the Society. 
There was also read a notice by Mr James Flint, civil-engi- 
neer, respecting large balls of clay ironstone in North Ame- 
rica. 
