151 



many meteors about equal in light to the brightness of any 

 point in the Prsesepe, (by which I would be understood to 

 mean not the aggregate light of the cluster, but the light 

 which any part of it, if separated from the rest would appear 

 to have,) were seen crossing the beam of light in various 

 directions. The sky was quite clear, the morning just 

 dawning, and the horizon to seaward covered, as is usual at 

 that hour in summer at Smyrna with a low fog bank. Few 

 or no meteors were at the time of observation noticed in any 

 other part of the sky." 



Mr. W. L. Dickinson read a Note " On the Transit of 

 Mercury," giving the results of his calculations for Man- 

 chester. In these calculations he had used the Nautical 

 Almanac Elements, and found that the planet would leave the 

 Sun's disc on the morning of the 12th instant, at 9h. 18m. 

 44s., Greenwich mean time, at an angle from the north point 

 of the Sun's disc of 24° towards the west, and from the vortex 

 of 1° towards the west for direct image. 



Mr. Vernon, F.R.A.S., exhibited diagrams, showing the 

 variations of the barometer and thermometer at various 

 stations in England and Scotland during the storm which 

 occurred on the 2nd instant. 



December 5th, 1861. 



Murray Gladstone, Esq., F.R.A.S., was elected a Member 

 of the Section. 



Mr. Baxendell, F.R.A.S., read a Paper " On the 

 Influence of the Seasons on the Rate of Decrease of the 

 Temperature of the Atmosphere with Increase of Height in 

 different Latitudes in Europe and Asia." 



[This paper will be read at the Ordinary Meeting of the 

 Society, to be held on the 24th instant.] 



