of the coal-beds; the largest fault is one of twenty-five fathoms, running north-west and south-east. Mr Landell was of opinion that this coal-field was connected with the Ayrshire coal-field and not separated by old red sandstone as described; throughout the Scotch coal-fields the carboniferous limestone was split up into a number of beds and intercalated with the coal.-Mr Bryce, in reply to a question, stated that he considered all the Scotch coalfields had once been continuous, but had become more or less separated by the outburst of the trap, and in this one instance by an upheaval of the old red sandstone.—Mr Hugh Miller said there were beds of red sandstone with coal fossils overlying the coal, and that it was extremely difficult to determine the exact line of junction of the two systems, but such a line did exist, and he believed Agassiz was right in asserting that no species of fish was common to the old red and carboniferous series.-Professor Nicol stated that Mr Bryce's sections were exceedingly like Mr Milne's Berwickshire sections; he thought that all the red sandstone on the north flank of the Lammermuir hills might with more propriety be referred to the carboniferous series.-Dr John Fleming described some instances in which there were true old red sandstone, with scales of the Holoptychius, followed by numerous alternations of very thin coal seams with carboniferous limestone; some of the trap rock after its ejection appear to have been arranged by water. SECTION D.-NATURAL HISTORY, INCLUDING PHYSIOLOGY. President.-Professor GOODSIR. Vice-Presidents.-Sir J. G. DALYELL, Sir J. RICHARDSON, Dr R. K. GREVILLE, Mr G. BENTHAM. Secretaries. Dr LANKFSTER, Professor J. H. BENNETT, Dr D. MACLAGAN. Committee.-Professor Allman, Mr C. C. Babington, Professor J. H. Balfour, Dr Black, Mr G. Busk, Dr H. Cleghorn, Rev. Professor Fleming, Mr W. Gourlie, Rev. L. Jenyns, Dr W. H. Lowe, Mr R. M'Andrew, Professor W. Macdonald, Dr M'William, Mr R. Patterson, Rev. J. Reid, Messrs W. Spence and Wyville Thomson, Professor Walker-Arnott, Mr J. Wilson, Dr P. Neill, Professor Parlatore, Professor E. Forbes, Professor W. Car penter, Sir W. Jardine, Mr Hugh E. Strickland, Professor A. Fleming, Professor Dickie, Professor Daubeny, Dr Redfern, Dr Tilt, Professor Owen, Dr Fowler, Mr R. Strachey, Professor Van der Hoeven, Mr J. E. Winterbottom, Professor Hyrtl, Messrs T. C. Eytyn, P. J. Selby, Prof. Buchanan, Professor Sharpey, Mr C. W. Peach, Dr D. Mackay, Messrs Joshua Clark, Hamlyn Lee, Dr George Johnston. "On the Hedge Plants of India, and the Conditions which adapt them for Special Purposes and Particular Localities," by Dr Cleghorn. The author first made some remarks on the low condition of agriculture generally throughout India, and stated that his remarks more particularly applied to the south of that continent, in the district of Mysore. Having referred to the importance of hedges in any well-developed system of agriculture, he pointed out their especial importance in a country infested with wild animals, and where the crops needed especial protection. The following plants were named as those which might be used with advantage for hedges in various parts of India. Most of these plants are characterized by possessing spines, prickles, and thorns, which render them dangerous to animals.Opuntia Dillenii. This plant was originally introduced from America, but grew very abundantly, was easily propagated, and required little or no soil. It might be used for military defences. Its fruit is eaten. Its fruit is eaten. It, however, harbours vermin, and is to be used only when other plants cannot be obtained. Agave Americana, another introduced plant. It is propagated by suckers, grows easily, and when decayed the leaves may be used as fuel.-Euphorbia antiquorum. This, combined with other species of Euphorbia, forms an excellent fence. Its juice is very acrid, and care must be taken in pruning it. Several species of plants belonging to the divisions Mimoseæ and Cæsalpinieæ, were also mentioned as thorny shrubs adapted for the purposes of inclosure. Many of these have elegant flowers.-Acacia Arabica yields gum, and the pods and seeds are eaten. They are all plants easily cultivated. The Bamboo (Bambusa arundinacea) is also a plant highly recommended for forming inclosures. Several other species of Bambusa have been employed for the same purpose.-Other plants used for hedges are Pandanus odoratissimus, the lime, the mulberry, species of Hibiscus, &c. The paper was illustrated by drawings of the species of plants described by the author. "On Exuviation, or, the Changes of Integuments by Animals," by Sir J. G. Dalyell.—The observations of the writer were confined to the family of Crustacea. He described minutely the changes undergone by crabs during the process of moulting, and, in several instances, counted the number of days from one moult to another. These varied from 60 to 194 days. In all cases he found that no reparation of wounded, mutilated, or destroyed parts took place till after the moult which succeeded the injury. He described minutely several cases in which injuries of various kinds had been repaired. In one case of the moult of a crab only the two claws of the dermal skeleton were developed, whilst the eight legs were entirely suppressed. At the next moult the animal produced its usual number of legs. Professor Owen wished to express the obligations under which naturalists were to Sir J. Dalyell for his numerous observations in natural history. The subject of the present paper was one of great interest and demanded further investigation. Professor Van der Hoeven stated that the remarks of Sir John confirmed those of Mr Newport on the change of skin and the reproduction of lost members in the family of spiders. Mr Peach said that the white colour of the young crabs mentioned by Sir John was owing to confine He believed that limbs were only reproduced after exuviation, from his own observations. Amongst the Crustacea which he had observed, the hermit crabs shed their skin most frequently :-sometimes as often as five or six times in a month. "Notes on Crustacea, accompanied by Drawings," by Dr T. Williams. The notes were, first,-on the development of the shell. Under this head the author gave an account of the changes observed in the shell during its growth when examined by the microscope. In the first place a production of cells was observed over the region of the heart. This gradual ly spread and formed the upper layer of the dermal skeleton. Under this was formed a layer of pigment cells, and below this again layers of smaller cells till the whole integument was formed. The younger the animal the oftener this process went on,-till at last it went on very slowly or ceased altogether. Second, the shedding of the exuviæ. This process seemed in a great measure under the control of the animal; as when watched it frequently suspended this operation, or when excited, hastened it. It seems to be attended with excitement of the nervous system,-as at this period the animal was more pugnacious than at any other. Third,—the reproduction of limbs. This process only took place after the exuviation of the old skin, although a reparative process was evidently set up in the injured part. At the moult immediately subsequent to the loss of a limb, the new limb was not so large as those which represented uninjured limbs. "A Notice of the Distribution of the Herbaria of the Honourable East India Company," was read by Dr Royle.-The collections in the possession of the Company consisted of the plants collected by Royle, Griffiths, Falconer, Harris, Stocks, and others. Duplicates of the specimens contained in these collections had been sent to various public bodies. "On the Anatomy of the Doris," by A. Hancock and Dr Embleton. The paper contained a description of the different internal organs and embraced several new points, namely:-Some hitherto unnoticed modifications of the digestive organs. A full account of the complicated organs of reproduction and their varieties:-these organs have long been matter of dispute. "On the Vertebral Homologies of the Basicranium," by Professor W. Macdonald. Remarks on the Anacharis Alsinastrum," by Mr C. C. Babington, who exhibited specimens.-The plant was gathered in a river in Berwickshire where it had been seen by Dr Johnston ten years ago. It was not, however, till recently that it had been recognized as a British plant. It appears now to be very generally diffused, and where once introduced, to grow with the greatest possible rapidity. In some places where it had not been introduced more than two years it had already quite filled up the reservoirs or parts of canals in which it was growing. A species of Anacharis grew in North America; but Mr Babington considered the British species peculiar, and had named it accordingly. It belonged to the same order of plants as Vallisneria, and produced its flowers in the same way. Although filaments had been seen in the staminiferous flowers, no anthers had yet been discovered in the British species. ETHNOLOGICAL SUB-SECTION. President. Vice-Admiral Sir CHARLES MALCOLM, K.C.B. Vice-Presidents.-Professor J. Y. SIMPSON; Dr R. G. LATHAM; Secretary.-DANIEL WILSON, Esq. Committee. Rev. W. L. Alexander, D.D., Professor Buckman, Professor Christison, Sir Charles Fellows, Joseph Fletcher, Esq., Professor Goodsir, Dr William Jones, J. Hogg, Esq., Professor R. Lee, D.D., Dr Meyer, Dr D. Skae, W. F. Skene, Esq., William Spence, Esq., William Walker, Esq. Dr Edward Hincks read a paper on the Language and Mode of Writing of the Ancient Assyrians; and Professor Rangabe of Athens read Notices of some additions made to our knowledge of the Ancient Greeks by recent discoveries in Greece. The communication next laid before the Section by Mr Daniel Wilson, was entitled an "Inquiry into the Evidence of the Existence of Primitive Races in Scotland, prior to the Celtæ." Mr Wilson commenced by furnishing a slight sketch of the previous labours of continental ethnologists, and especially of Professors Retzius, and Nillson, the latter of whom has carefully explored the primitive barrows of Sweden, and, by the comparison of their crania, has arrived at the conclusion that four successive races have occupied that country. Mr Wilson shewed, by a series of results established on carefully sifted data, that evidence may be produced to prove the existence of two primitive races in Scotland, differing decidedly in cranial characteristics from |