333 



him as analogous to the apical fibres of PolysiphonicB, described 

 by Dr. Harvey. 



Rev. Samuel Haughton communicated to the Academy 

 an account of the late Professor Mac CuUagh's lectures on the 

 rotation of a solid body round a fixed point, compiled from notes 

 of his lectures. 



The Secretary read a paper by Mr. Henry Henessy, "On 

 the Influence of the Earth's figure on the Distribution of Land 

 and Water at its Surface." 



" In a paper, read before the Geological Society of Dublin, 

 on the Changes of the Earth's Figure and Climate, resulting 

 from causes acting at its surface, the author endeavoured to 

 show that certain phenomena, which in some quarters were 

 supposed to be explicable by appealing to such causes, are 

 not at all capable of being so explained. In support of this 

 conclusion it was stated that if, in accordance with the as- 

 sumptions of the theory considered in the paper alluded to, 

 the earth were originally a solid sphere, and if the ratio of its 

 mean equatorial to its mean polar radius continually in- 

 creased, the area of dry land at the equator, compared to its 

 area at the poles, would also continually increase. 



" To the author this proposition appeared so evident that 

 he did not think its formal proof required to be exhibited. 

 As, however, it subsequently seemed desirable that such a 

 proof should be produced, he has attempted in this paper to 

 fulfil that object. 



<' Besides proving the proposition in question, the author 

 believes that he has arrived at a new result, which alone 

 would support the views he advocated in the paper already 

 cited. 



" 1. If, in accordance with the fundamental assumptions 

 of the theory considered in the paper referred to, the earth 

 2c2 



