454 
corded in Pictish and Irish authorities, Mr. Petrie would not 
then offer an opinion, though he had no hesitation in stating 
that, from the forms of the letters, he had no doubt that the 
inscription was of an age some centuries earlier than that 
ascribed to it by Mr. Ramsay. 
An extract was read from a letter addressed to Sir William 
Hamilton by Lieutenant Steevenson, on a mode of ascertaining 
the general state of the weather for any spring and summer 
from the general state of the preceding winter. 
The writer is of opinion that the prevalence of westerly 
winds and rain, during our wet summers, arises from the pre- 
sence in the Atlantic Ocean of a greater quantity than usual of 
ice, brought southwards by currents from the Arctic regions. 
Robert Ball, Esq., Treasurer, read an abstract of the Ac- 
counts of the Academy, for the Year ending 31st of March, 
1847, which was ordered to be printed in the Proceedings. 
(See Appendix, No. X.) 
DONATIONS. 
Comptes rendus Hebdomadaires des Séances del Académie 
des Sciences. From 8 Feb. to 8 March, 1847. Presented by 
the Academy. 
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of Lon- 
don, for 1846. Part IV. 
Proceedings of the Royal Society (1846). No. LX VI. 
List of Members of the Royal Society. Nov. 30, 1846. 
Presented by the Society. 
Astronomical Observations made at the U. S. Naval Ob- - 
servatory, Washington, during the Year 1845. By M. F. 
Maury, Lieut. U. S. Navy. Presented by the Author, 
