560 On instituting a Meteorological Society. 



Art. VIII. A supporting of the Propositions that have been offered 



for instituting an Association of Meteorologists in Britain ; and 



a Notice of certain Means necessary, and Objects proper, to such 



an Association. By W. R. Birt, Esq., Author of Tables of the 



Wind, noticed in p. 224. 280. 



I have read with great pleasure the suggestions inserted in 

 p. 305, 306., for the establishment of a meteorological society, 

 having for its object the institution of stations in Great Britain, 

 &c, where observations may be made which are statedly to 

 be compared. Such a society will, if properly conducted, 

 considerably contribute to the advancement of meteorology ; 

 and, if my feeble efforts can be of any service in assisting in 

 the organising, or otherwise promoting the interests, of such a 

 society, I shall most gladly devote them to its service. 



I have long considered, that the establishments of meteor- 

 ological observatories in various parts of the world would be 

 found of immense utility. An apartment fitted up with ba- 

 rometers, thermometers, hygrometers, and other meteorolo- 

 gical instruments, having a good chronometer, for the purpose 

 of noting exactly the time of every important phenomenon, 

 and furnished with a circular opening in the roof, for ascer- 

 taining the direction of the aerial currents, would, perhaps, 

 form tolerably good means as the kinds of instruments re- 

 quired. The circular opening I should propose to be gra- 

 duated; n.w. being 0°, n.e. 90°, s.e. 180°, and soon; and 

 that from every fifth degree a metallic point should project, 

 that the observer may readily ascertain where a particular 

 portion of a cloud commences its transit across the opening. 

 The observer should stand immediately under the centre of 

 this opening, in order that he may ascertain the true direction 

 of the aerial currents. Another object would also be attained 

 with the assistance of the clock ; namely, the velocity of the 

 current, which would be ascertained by the time occupied by 

 the cloud's transit of the opening. Observatories of this 

 kind should be placed in such situations that phenomena in 

 every branch of natural history connected with meteorology 

 could be observed : for instance, the opening and closing of 

 flowers, the budding of trees, flowering of plants, migration of 

 birds, appearance and disappearance of insects [p. 314, 315.], 

 &c. ; many of these depending on the state of the weather. In 

 order that the upper and lower currents may be carefully 

 observed, the observatories should be erected on elevated 

 points. As an instance of one of the most suitable stations 

 for an observatory of this kind near London, I should refer 

 to Shooter's Hill, Kent. 



