THE COONCII,. 7 



Another and still more curious subject of investigation has 

 been prosecuted with unremitting attention for the last three 

 years, — the determination of the quantities of Rain falling 

 at different heights above the ground. The admirable 

 situation of York, the great height and accessibility of the 

 Minster, and the concurrence of the authorities of the 

 Church, have given to the labours of the Secretaries on 

 this question a precision and completeness which has enabled 

 them to present results, and to deduce consequences which, if 

 they shall be confirmed by farther experiments in other situa- 

 tions, win "be found to throw a new light, not only on the 

 theory of Kain but also on some other interesting problems in 

 Meteorology. These experiments were instituted at the 

 recommendation of the first Meeting of the British Associa- 

 tion, in 1831, in whose volumes the record of them will be 

 found ; and the Council is informed that the example set at 

 York, of obedience to the wishes of that great body of men 

 of science, is already imitated in two localities in England, 

 where the annual quantity of rain and other circumstances of 

 climate are very different. 



The phenomena of the Aurora Borealis, the construction 

 of meteorological and magnetical instruments, and the impor- 

 tant subject of subterranean temperature, have received much 

 attention from several Members of the Society, and there 

 can be no doubt that the impulse of the first Meeting 

 of the British Association will continue to be felt in this 

 Society, until that great instrument for the advancement of 

 knowledge shall return to invigorate our exertions. 



Such is a brief view of the Scientific labours of the Institu- 

 tion during the year 1834. The statements of Accounts 

 which follow will fully explain the condition of its financial 

 arrangements. The Annual Expenditure has been kept 

 within the income by above ^.80 ; in spite of three un- 

 expected sources of expense, which no prudence could have 



