1826.] Linnean.Sciety. 143f 



the orbit of a comet, supposed to be the same with that, or 

 those, of 1772 and 1805. M. Gambart first presents the sum- 

 mary of his observations of this comet from the 9th to the 

 21st (inclusively) of March this year. He then exhibits the 

 elements as computed from these observations upon the para- 

 boHc hypothesis : viz : 



Passage of the perihehon, March 1826, 18,94 days, counting 

 from midnight. 



Perihehon distance 0*961 



Long, perihelion 104° 20' 0'' 



Long, ascend, node 247 54 10 



Inchnation 14 39 15 



Motion direct. 



These elements were communicated March 23rd :-^a week 

 after, the eUiptic elements deduced from the same observations 

 were transmitted, and are as follow : viz. 



Passage of the perihelion, March 1826, 19,5998 days, 

 counting from midnight. 



Serai-axis major 3*56^^ 



Excentricity 0*74187 



Log. mean motion 2*7326487 



Long, perihel 108° 54' 19'' 



Long. asc. nodei 249 55 23 



Inclination 13 50 47 



Motion direct. 



Periodic time i . . . . 6*567 years. 



The same elements, M. Gambart observes, represent almost 

 exactly the observations of the comets of 1772 and 1805 j 

 whence the identity of all three is inferred. 



The reading of Mr. Herschel's paper on Double-stars, com- 

 menced at the last meeting, was continued. 



LINNEAN SOCIETY. 



Feh. 7. — The following papers were read : 



A Description of the P lectrophanes Lapponica, a Species 

 lately discovered in the British Islands; by P. J. Selby, Esq. 

 FLS. MWS.&c. 



Some Account of a Collection of Cryptogamic Plants formed 

 in the Ionian Islands, and brought to this country by Lord 

 Guildford ; by R.K. Greville, LLD. FRSE. &c. 



Feb. 21. — The reading of Dr. F. Hamilton's Commentary on 

 the Fourth Part of the Hortus Malabaricus, was commenced. 



March 7. — The reading of Dr. Hamilton's Commentary was 

 continued. 



March 21. — A paper was read, entitled, Descriptions of Two 

 new Birds, belonging to the family Phasianidce ; by Major 



