386 British Association, 



BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. 



The following is an outline of the proceedings at the late meeting 

 of the British Association, holden at Edinburgh from the 8th to 

 the 13th of September, Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane, 

 K.C.B., F.R.S., &c, &c, President, giving the titles of the papers 

 and other communications which were read or received. 



Section of Mathematics and General Physics. 

 Chairman. — Rev. W. Whewell. 



A report by Mr. Challis on the theory of Capillary Attraction. — 

 On the Repulsion produced by Heat, as established by the contrac- 

 tion of Newton's rings when heat was applied to the glasses, by 

 Prof. Powell. — Mr. Whewell read a letter from Mr. Hailstone, ac- 

 companying a table of Barometrical Observations, taken at short 

 intervals. — Prof. Forbes read a short communication from Mr. 

 Christie, on a remarkable Meteorological Phenomenon observed by 

 him at Woolwich. — Prof. Lloyd read to the Section a portion of 

 his report on Physical Optics. — A paper by Mr. Challis, entitled, 

 Theoretical Explanations of some facts relating to the composition 

 of the Colours of the Spectrum. — A paper by Prof. Powell, On the 

 Achromatism of the Eye. — Prof. Phillips read the second Report of 

 the result of twelve months' experiments on the quantity of rain 

 falling at different elevations above the ground, made by himself 

 and Mr. Gray. — A paper by Prof. Stevelly, entitled, An attempt to 

 connect some well known phenomena in Meteorology with well 

 established physical principles. — The second part of a Report on 

 Hydraulics, containing the application of the principles of that 

 science to the subject of rivers, by Mr. Rennie. — On a new method 

 in Dynamics, by Prof. Hamilton. — On a new formof the Dipping 

 Needle, constructed so as to afford the means of correcting the error 

 of the centre of gravity, by Prof. Phillips. — Notes on the mean tempe- 

 rature in India, by Col. Sykes.— On Magnetical Observations under- 

 taken in Ireland, by Prof. Lloyd. — Sir David Brewster described to 

 the Meeting a remarkable coloration which he had observed in the 

 space included between the interior and exterior rainbow. — M. 

 Saumarez read a paper on Light and Colours, containing some 

 peculiar views respecting their nature and origin. — Mr. Ramage read 

 a proposal for constructing a reflecting telescope of greater magnitude 

 than has yet been attempted. — Dr. Knight exhibited to the Section a 

 method of rendering the vibrations of heated metals perceptible to the 

 eye. — Mr. Russell gave an account of some recent experiments on the 

 traction of boats on canals at great velocities. — Sir David Brewster 

 communicated to the Section the results of a series of experiments 

 on the effects of reflection from the surfaces of crystals, when some 

 surfaces have been altered by solution; and exhibited a number of 

 singular forms, produced by different crystals, or by the same crystal 

 under different circumstances.— Mr. Graves presented a paper on 

 the theory of Exponential Functions, in further illustration of a 

 memoir on the same subject which he had laid before the Royal 



