16 Proceedings of the Asiatie Society. [ Jan. 
Colonel Strachey noticed certain modifications of the usual daily 
maxima and minima in the atmospheric pressures, to be observed in 
the hills, These must be considered as purely local, and are to be 
explained as caused by certain disturbances of the planes of equal 
pressure in the air, due to the unequal expansion of the variable 
depth of air over the plains and mountain slopes, which again are 
followed by currents of air between the plains and the hills. During 
the day, the air is heated over the plain and forms a superior current 
toward the mountain, at night the converse takes place and gives 
rise to an inferior current towards the plain. These changes are 
quite analogous to the daily sea and land-breeze. 
Dr. Stoliczka observed that he was struck with the great regu- 
larity with which the maxima and minima in the atmospheric pres- 
sure return at high elevation. He had made observations for two 
successive years on the elevated plains of Tibet, between 15 and 
20,000 feet, and found that as arule the maxima fell about the hour 
of 10 a.m. and 11 P.m., the minima between 8 and 5p. m. and 
about 3 A.M. Certainly the regular oscillations of the atmosphere in 
these regions could not be attributed to the existence of vapour, for 
there is almost none whatever present. The annual rain fall searee- 
ly amounts to half an inch. 
In reply to remarks which fell from Col. Strachey, the President 
said that nothing could be further from his mind than any intention 
to set up or maintain the ‘“‘ dogma” which Col. Strachey attributed 
to him. In truth he had brought the matter forward solely for the 
purpose of urging that observation and research were still needed, 
and that the peculiar facilities of India in this respect were neg- 
lected. We had it in our power to make observations, with varia- 
tions of condition as to elevation, humidity and temperature, such 
as could hardly be secured elsewhere. We could almost be said 
to be able to experiment in this subject, so great were our oppor- 
tunities of making simultaneous observations at different heights in 
pretty nearly the same vertical line, and at variously situated 
stations, distributed overa largely extended surface of the earth. 
The advantages offered by the character, and position of the coun- 
try for analysis of the elements of the problem and comparison of 
results seemed to be ina great measure unheeded. They could only 
