10 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



to exact experiments in the development of the emVn-yo in the egg. 

 It is hoped that ])y means of this invention facts may be esta})lished 

 which will prove of practical \alue. 



The meteorological investigation in connection with air currents at 

 varying altitudes, heretofore reported on as conducted ]>y Mr. A. L. 

 liotch at Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory, have been supple- 

 mented this year ])y a series of experiments on the lift and drift of 

 the wind on plane and curved surfaces. Mr. A. A. Merrill, who was 

 recommended by Mr. Kotch for this work, received a grant from the 

 Hodgkins fund and has from time to time reported the result of his 

 experiments. 



Th(^ gi'ant to tlie .Journal of Terrestrial Magnetism and Atmospheric 

 Electricity has been continued during the past year, a specified 

 num])er of copies of the Journal ])eing sent out, as directed by the 

 Institution, to specialists and to educational establishments. 



In May, IDO^, an application for a grant from the Hodgkins fund 

 was made l)v Prof. Moi-ris W. Travers, of University College, London, 

 which, after tlie customary reference, examination, and discussion, 

 was approved in June of this year. Professor Travers has been the 

 colleague of Prof. William Ramsey in his later researches upon the 

 rare gases of the atmosphere, and is now engaged in an investigation 

 which will deal largely with tlie liquid properties of hydrogen. 



A sunnnary of the progress of this investigation, on behalf of wliich 

 the final grant of this year is approved, will rind place in the next 

 report. 



The difficulties in the way of submitting, during the progress of a 

 research, a report which is even measurably satisfactory to an inves- 

 tigator, are appreciated Ijy the Secretary, whose duty it becomes, year 

 by ycMir, to record so far as possible the advance of the investigations 

 which the terms of the bequest allow him to aid ])y grants from the 

 Hodgkins fund. 



In November, 1!K)1, a special committee, the members of which 

 represented the departments of biology, physics, chemistiT, geology, 

 meteorology, astronomy, electricity, and anthropology, was appointed 

 to considei- the award of the Hodgkins special medal, which, as stated 

 in the r<'port foi' 1S!);>, is bestowed only for important contributions 

 to the knowledge of the nature and properties of atmospheric air. or 

 for original and practical applications of present knowledgt* to the 

 welfare of mankind, thus c()nq)lying not onl}' with the teiins of the 

 Hodgkins Fund, but also furthering the expressed aim of the foundei' 

 of the Institution. 



As will be remeiubei-ed, the lii-st special Hodgkins medal was awarded 

 in 1S<)'.» to Prof. James Dewar, of the Royal Institutit)n of (xi-eat Britain. 



In accordance with the recommendation of the committee, the 



