6 Transactions. 
chiefly with the great war between the Kauravas and the Pan- 
davas, who were descendants, through Bharata, from Puru, one 
of the founders of the two great branches of the Lunar race. 
The object of the great war was the kingdom in North India, 
whose capital was Hastind-pura, the ruins of which are traceable 
57 miles north-east of Delhi. The two sections composing this 
Teligth version are called—(1) the Virdta-parva, which details 
the adventures of the Pandavas in the thirteenth year of their 
exile while they were in the service of King Virata ; and (2) the 
Udyoga-parva, which treats of the preparations for war made by 
the Kauravas and the Pandavas. 
Mr Robert Maxwell-Witham exhibited, through Mr J. 8. 
Thomson, a compass and sun-dial carried by William Maxwell 
when he was out in the ’45, 
COMMUNICATIONS. 
I. Observations on the Temperature of the River Dee and ats 
Estuary during the past year. By the Rev. WintlAM 
ANDSON. 
Rev. Mr Andson read a paper embodying the results of 
observations on the temperature of the river Dee at Tongland, 
taken by the Rev. W. I. Gordon, and of its estuary taken by 
Mr Macdonald, lighthouse-keeper, on the island of Little Ross. 
Those of the river had been taken daily from 9th September, 
1889, to 15th August, 1890, usually about half-an-hour after 
noon. The mean temperature of the air for the period over 
which the observations extended was 54:5 degrees ; of the water, 
50-5 degrees; mean difference of air above water, 4 degrees. 
Mr Andson’s own observations for the Nith brought out a mean 
2 degrees lower for the water and 1:7 degree lower for the 
air; but the periods of observation were not coincident, the 
spring and summer being in the case of the Nith for 1889 and 
in that of the Dee for 1890, and there was a slight difference in 
the hours at which the observations were taken. There was an 
almost exact coincidence in the mean difference between the 
temperature of the air and water, the excess of the former in the 
case of the Nith being 4:3 degrees, compared with 4 degrees in 
the case of the Dee. With reference to the observations at 
Little Ross, he expressed the opinion that they must be regarded 
