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The words explained were the following. Ve-cors a small heart, 

 in opposition to largeness of heart, synonymous with wisdom. Vk- 

 SANUS, not sound, paritm saniis, insane. Ve-dius, Pluto, the god 

 of darkness, paiiim dins, not luminous. Vk-jovis, the small jovis, 

 parumJHvans, not aiding. Ve-pallida, not pale, parum pallida, 

 flushed. Vescus and Vesculus, having little to eat, parum escoE. 

 Ve-SBius, the local and ancient name of Vesuvius, hardly extinct, 

 parum <r/3t<rre(r, a name given to it by the Greeks, on their first arri- 

 val on the Canipanian coast, when Ischia, called by them Inarine, 

 was the active scene of the volcano. Ve-sica, a small sack. Ve- 

 8PA, a small <rip>)|, in opposition to the hornet. Ve-speka, the pe- 

 riod when objects become less distinct, — parum spicere, — in opposi- 

 tion to the morning-star, lucifcr. Ve-stibulu3i, a small standing- 

 place between the street and the house-door, — parum stabulum. 

 Ve-stigium a small impression, a small point, vestigium temporis, 

 a point of time. Vk-gbandis, not well grown, parum grandis. 



3. Dr D. B. Reid exhibited some experiments on the heating 

 power of the radiant caloric from the lime-ball light of 

 Mr Drummond,— and illustrated, by means of the same 

 light, the transparency of flame. 



March 17. 



JAMES RUSSELL. Esq. Vice-President in the Chair. 

 The followinor communications were read : — 



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1. Notice of Experiments on the Diminution of Intensity 

 sustained by the Sun's rays in passing through the Atmo- 

 sphere. By Professor Forbes. 



This subject, though in itself deeply interesting, and leading to 

 conclusions of much importance for elucidating many obscure ques- 

 tions connected with the constitution of the Universe, has hitherto 

 received but little attention. Bouguer attempted to fix the actual 

 amount of diminution approximatively, by comparing the moon's light 

 with that of wax candles at difl^erent ascertained elevations ; and in 

 this way obtained data, from which he inferred, that about a fifth 

 part of the entire rays of the sun is absorbed in traversing the atmo- 

 .sphere vertically. Lambert concluded, that the loss sustained is much 

 greater. By observing at two altitudes of the sun, the difference of 



