3o4 Scientific Reviews. 
R. Bald, Esq. collection of rocks of the coal formation of Alloa. 
Rey. Mr. Fleming, collection of rocks of the island of Papa Stour. 
Colonel Imrie, collection of rocks of the Grampians. 
Professor Jameson, series of rocks illustrating the geognosy of 
Arran. . 
J. Laskey, Esq. collection of North British testacea. 
Dr. Macknight, rocks collected during his journey through the 
Highlands. 
Gilbert Meason, Esq. bones of the Orkney animal. 
We observe that in the subsequent volumes donations are not re- 
cularly mentioned. What has become of the above donations? and 
of all subsequent ones? There is indeed a rumour that they all pass 
to the College Museum, in consideration of the privilege the So- 
ciety enjoys of assembling in an apartment belonging to the Mu- 
seum establishment. We cannot, however, vouch for the truth of 
this statement.* We only know that the Wernerian Natural His- 
tory Society has no ostensible collection, in spite of what its friends 
and foreign naturalists have been kind enough to communicate ! 
W hat, then, zs the Wernerian Natural History Society? Whatever 
respect, whatever admiration we pay to the individuals composing 
it, (and many we esteem as our particular friends,) the Wernerian 
Natural History Society is-a body which meets periodically in the 
College, only by sufferance either of the Senatus Academicus, or of 
the Keeper of the Museum. ‘The very room in which it assembles is 
used for the purposes of the Museum, and is closed against the mem- 
bers (although what little property they actually possess-lie in it) at 
all other times! For an hour and a half once a fortnight, during the 
season, it is a delightful thing te attend its meetings. But as an 
active influential Society, of twenty years standing, what is it? 
Alas! what could have been expected ? Has it ever dared to walk 
alone? Does it not, to this very day, resemble a seven month’s 
child, afraid to abandon its leading-strings? Without a room of 
its own, a museum of its own, or an accessible library, what is it 
but the Wernerian Society? Vox et preterea nil! Let those best 
acquainted with the affairs of the Seciety, contradict us if they are 
able to do so. 
It will only be necessary, in addition, to inform our readers, that 
this lamented condition of the Wernerian Scciety, originates in and 
* Since the above remarks were in the press, we have learnt that there 
is a law in the code of the Wernerian Society, providing that “ all specimens 
presented to the Society shall be deposited in the College Museum, for the 
use of the members.”’ But these laws have never been printed, and we do not 
believe that the members are generally aware of any such enactment; the best 
proof of which is, that several of them have declared to us their ignorance of 
that law. But do those who know that they have a right of admission to the 
Museum, to see the specimens that have been presented to their Society, ob- 
tain access to the Collecticn at pleasure? We expect a negative answer. 
If, however, for the sake of convenience, such a law was origmally permit- 
ted with respect to their specimens of Natural History, it surely cannot have 
an equivalent applicable to the Library.. We cannot believe that there is a 
provision in the code, that the books presented to the Society, er purchased by 
it, shall merge into the private library of any of the members, 
