It was moved by the Rev. H. H. HIGGINS, and seconded by Mr. BYERLEY, "That the report now read be adopted." Carried unanimously.

The Treasurer's accounts, which had previously been audited by Dr. Collingwood, and Mr. Duckworth, were then submitted and passed.

The Society next proceeded to ballot for five new members of Council, when the following gentlemen, who were recommended by the retiring Council, were elected :

Richard Brooke, F.S.A., William Ihne, Ph.D., James Allanson Picton, F.S.A., Prof. Dadabhai Naoroji, Charles H. Clark.

In addition to these, the following nine gentlemen were re-elected from the retiring Council:

J. Baker Edwards, Ph.D., F.C.S., Isaac Byerley, F.L.S., F.R.C.S., Henry Duckworth, F.R.G.S., F.G.S., J. Birkbeck Nevins, M.D.Lond., C. Collingwood, M.B.Oxon, M.R.C.P., F.L.S., &c., Joseph Carter Redish, George Highfield Morton, F.G.S., David Purdie Thomson, M.D., Rev. J. Robberds, B.A. A ballot was finally taken for the office-bearers, with the following result :—

President:

[The REV. HENRY H. HIGGINS, M.A.Cantab.]

Vice-Presidents :

J. BAKER EDWARDS, Ph.D., F.C.S.

WILLIAM IHNE, Ph.D.

JAMES ALLANSON PICTON, F.S.A.

Treasurer:

ISAAC BYERLEY, F.L.S., F.R.C.S.

Hon. Secretary:

C. COLLINGWOOD, M.B.Oxon, M.R.C.P., F.L.S., &c.

It having been announced that William Brown, Esq., had expressed his intention to cover in a large area of the New

Museum, for the purpose of exhibiting therein models, inventions, and other objects of scientific interest; and, further, that he wished this "Gallery of Science and Inventions" to be under the direct management of a delegacy from the five learned societies, subject to the control of the Museum Committee of the Town Council, it was proposed by Dr. EDWARDS, and seconded by Mr. BYERLEY, "That five gentlemen be elected by ballot, as delegates from this Society, for the management of the proposed Gallery."

The following gentlemen were therefore elected :-Rev. H. H. Higgins, president, Dr. Collingwood, hon. sec., Dr. Nevins, Mr. A. Higginson, and Mr. H. Duckworth.

The following recommendation from the Council was then entertained :- "That in consideration of the munificent gift of the Free Public Library to the town, it is desirable to elect William Brown, Esq., a Corresponding Member of this Society; and the suspension of such laws as may be necessary, for this purpose."

It was therefore moved by Mr. NISBET, and seconded by Dr. EDWARDS, "That Laws 7, 10, and 11 be suspended, so far as they would interfere with the election of William Brown, Esq., as a Corresponding Member of this Society." This resolution was carried unanimously.

It was further moved by Mr. HIGGINSON, and seconded by Dr. NEVINS, "That William Brown, Esq., be elected a Corresponding Member of this Society." A ballot was then taken, when Mr. William Brown was unanimously elected a Corresponding Member. These proceedings to be confirmed at an Extraordinary Meeting of the Society, to be held on the 15th instant.

FIRST ORDINARY MEETING,

ROYAL INSTITUTION, October 15th, 1860.

The Rev. H. H. HIGGINS, M.A., President, in the Chair.

The PRESIDENT drew the attention of the Society to the Liverpool Field Naturalists' Club, which had sprung into existence since the last ordinary meeting, and had already become an important and flourishing body. He referred to the interesting excursions which had been conducted by them during the summer, and announced that the first evening meeting of the Club would be held at the Royal Institution, on Monday evening next, when Dr. Dickinson would preside, and Dr. Collingwood, one of the VicePresidents, would deliver a lecture on "Marine Zoology."

Dr. IHNE referred to an investigation which had lately been made by M. Lorentz, of Vienna, as to the authenticity of the story of Arnold von Winkelried. He remarked that it has long been admitted on all sides that the story of William Tell is entirely fabulous. It now appears that another Swiss hero has to be removed from the region of history into that of fable. The Battle of Sempach was fought A.D. 1386, against Duke Leopold of Austria, and is said to have been. decided in favour of the Swiss by the self-devotion of Arnold von Winkelried, who rushed upon the line of Austrian lances, and, burying as many as he could grasp in his own breast, made a passage for his countrymen. M. O. Lorentz, of Vienna, in a recent publication, shows that the oldest records of the battle of Sempach make no mention of Winkelried. Nor is he named in two very old popular songs, or by the

historians Justinger, Russ, and Etterlin. He is likewise ignored by the chronicles of Constance, which date from the beginning of the fifteenth century, and by a MS. Swiss history of the sixteenth century. He is first mentioned in the chronicle of Tchudi, (died 1572,) who draws the story from a popular song. Now this song, as M. Lorentz shows, is not an original, but an expanded version of a song given in Russ's chronicles, and containing no mention whatever of Winkelried, though Russ says it was sung as a song of victory after the battle of Sempach. The destruction of this and similar fables was the duty, though not an agreeable one, of the truthful and accurate historian.

Mr. NISBET exhibited the head and palatal teeth of a species of Parrot-fish, of the genus Scarus, (Linn.,) belonging to the hard-finned family Labrida of Cuvier. This curious. head was found in the guano at Halabi, one of the Kooria Mooria Islands.

Additions to the local Flora and Fauna having been called for, according to custom, the Secretary submitted a list, furnished by Messrs. F. M. WEBB and H. FISHER, containing notices of many new habitats of interesting plants, as follows:

RANUNCULUS LENORMANDI.-Frequent about Claughton Village. F. M. W.

RANUNCULUS LINGUA, L.-Ditch behind Pym's Buildings, Oxton-heath. H. F.; and marshy ground between Hoylake and West Kirby. F. M. W. and H. F.

RANUNCULUS AURICOMUS.-Prenton. H. F. and F. P.

Marrat.

RANUNCULUS PARVIFLORUS, L.-Left hand side of Upton Road after passing the cutting. F. P. Marrat and H. F.

RANUNCULUS ARVENSIS, L.-Corn field, West Derby. H. F.

AQUILEGIA VULGARIS, L.-Bromborough Wood. W. H. Hatcher and H. H. Higgins.

LEPIDIUM SMITHII, Hook.-Field between Higher Tranmere and Bebbington; also in a yard off Noctorum Farm, on a bank. F. M. W.

ERYSIMUM CHEIRANTHOIDES, L.-Cultivated ground, Old Swan. C. S. Gregson. Very sparingly near Sutton. F. M. W.

SINAPIS (Diplotaxis) TENUIFOLIA, Br.-South west corner of Birkenhead Park, by old house. The original plants have been destroyed (in September), but not until a portion of the seed had ripened, and, I believe, fallen, so that the plant may again make its appearance in this locality. F. M. W.

RESEDA FRUTICULOSA.-Bootle, near the Rimrose. H. F.

VIOLA PALUSTRIS, L.-Piece of marshy ground on left hand side of the road running from Upton Road to Dock Cottage Church-plentiful and fine. F. M. W. Raby. H. H. H.

DROSERA INTERMEDIA, var. COALESCENS.-Frankby Heath. F. M. W. and H. F.

SILENE ANGLICA, L-Very abundant in a rye-field, through which the pathway from Hoylake to West Kirby passes. F. M. W. and H. F.

SAGINA SUBULATA.-Frankby Heath. H. F. and F. M. W.

SPERGULARIA MEDIA (var. of S. MARINA.)-Shore near Dingle.

LINUM USITATISSIMUM, L.-Rubbish heaps, Canning Street, Birkenhead. F. M. W.

LINUM PERENNE.-Between

H. F. and F. M. W.

Heswall and Caldy.

CORONOPUS DIDYMA.-Speke. W. Hitchmough.