1809. ] 
ford, for the purpose of attending the 
close of the third examination of the stu- 
dents, and for distributing the gold medals 
and other prizes, awarded by the college 
council to the most meritorious and de- 
serving students, for their superior at- 
tainments in the several branches of 
learning during the past year. The busi- 
ness commenced with the reading of two 
Essays, the one composed by Mr. Molo- 
ney, and the other by Mr. Stokes, on 
“<the Influence of Commerce upon the 
Character and Prosperity of Nations.”— 
‘The compositions of both these gentle- 
men were highly creditable to their abi- 
lities and information, Several of the 
students then gave specimens of their 
proficiency in Oriental learning, by read-- 
ing and construing various passages from” 
different authors, inthe Arabic, Persian, 
Sanscrit, Bengalee, and Hindustanee lan- 
guages. A list of the names of students 
wholhave distinguished themselves m Per- 
sian writing was then laid before the com- 
mittee, and publicly announced ; as was 
also a list of those who excelled by their 
progress in the l'renchlauguage. Speci- 
mens of drawing were likewise submitted 
to the inspection of the committee, who 
acquaint the court, that in all these 
branches of instruction, a degree of ta- 
lent and industry has been displayed, 
equally honourable to the students and 
taeir teachers. The chairman previous 
to his presenting the prizes addressed the 
students. Ile expressed his gratification 
in performing the task which devolved on 
him, represented the importance of the 
stations which they would be called to fill 
in india, where merit would be the surest 
pledge of preferment ; communicated to 
them as a stimulus to equal exertion the 
case of Mr. Sotheby, lately a student at 
the college here, and honoured witha 
gold medal at the examination of 1807 
for his proficiency in Oriental learning, 
and who wad since received from the go- 
vernor-general in Bengal a similar mark 
of distinction for his superior attainments 
inthe same branches there. The chair- 
man then presented the prizes as awarded 
by the college council:—gold medals to 
Mr. Moloney for his essay ; to Mr. An- 
’ derson, jun. for his proficiency in San- 
serit; toMr. Palton, jun. for Persian ; 
to Mr. Stokes, for classical _litera- 
ture; to Mr. Farish for mathematics; 
and to Mr. Stokes, for political economy, 
history, and law, Books were presented 
to Mr. Stokes and Mr. Russell for their 
essays on the above mentioned subject; 
to Mr. Sullivan, for his proficiency in 
Literary and Philosophical Intelligence. 
69 
theology, &c.; to Mr. Parks, Mr. Ander- 
son, & tertius, and Mr. Carter, for Ben- 
valee; Mr Stokes, Mr, Anderson, jun. 
Sir James Home, Bart. and Mr. Mac~ 
ween for Persian; to Sir James Home, 
Bart. and Mr. Young for Hindustance ; 
to Mr. Holland, Mr. Anderson, jun. Mr. 
Young, and Mr. Trail, for classical lite- 
rature; to Mr. Anderson, jun. Mr. 
Prinsep, Mr. Chase, Mr, Haig, and Mr, 
Hyde, for mathematics; to Mr. Bayley, 
and Mr. Prinsep for political economy 
and history ; andto Mr. Prinsep,and Mr. 
Bayley, for law.—The report concludes, 
with expressions of the great satisfaction 
which the committee experienced at the 
proofs given at this examination, of the 
utility of the institution, and of the be- 
nefits likely to be derived from it to the 
company’s service, 
A species of wasp which builds its 
nests in trees has lately been observed 
in different parts of this country and. 
was frequently met with during the last 
summer in different parts of the West 
Riding of Yorkshire. It appears to be a 
new introduction, and is supposed to 
have been brought across the Atlantic 
into some of the fports on the western 
shore of the island, and is gradually 
spreading itself through the country. 
The trees on which the nests have been 
most frequently observed, are the goose- 
berry and currant, and an instance of it 
has been met with on the common elder, 
to which insects in general are averse. 
This species is smaller than the common 
wasp, but it is much less voracious, and 
less easily irritated. iM 
At the meeting of the Wernerian Na- 
tural History Society of Edinburgh, held 
on the 10th of December, the secretary 
read a communication from the Rev. 
Joun Fremine of Bressay, describing a 
narwhal or sea unicorn of the species de- 
nominated Le Narwal Microcephale, by 
La Cepéde, whichhad been lately cast on 
shore alive, at Weisdale Sound, in Main- 
land, the largest of the Shetland Islands. 
The description was accompanied by a 
correct drawing of the animal, which ts 
to be engraved... At the same sheeting 
Dr. Ocrivy, read a paper on the transi- 
tion green stone of Fassnet, in East Loe 
thian, which besides much valuable mi- 
neralogical information, contained a sa-= 
_ tisfactory answer to the query proposed 
some time ago by Professor Jamesan, in 
regard to the geognostic relations of the 
rocks of this tract of country. The de- 
scriptions of the individual rocks and 
their general and peculiar geognostic_re- 
lations 
