Go Edhihirgk Inst'dute. 



EDINBURGH INSTITUTi;. 



A general mceiing of the members of this institvite was 

 held in Mary's Chapel, (.n Tuesday tiie 22d of December, 

 for the purpose of receiving coa)municatioiis on subjects 

 connected with science, literature, and the arts. Dr, Millar 

 in the thavr. 



Among other conimunicalions the following were re- 

 ceived : 



1. Account of a fact in meteorology, lately discovered 

 by Mr. John Hutton. In certain states of the atmosphere 

 a succession of small clouds appear over the summit of 

 Arthur's Seat. Each of these clouds forms on the wind- 

 ward side of the hill, apparently about one hundred feet 

 above the level of the summit, a line drawn perpendicularly 

 from the centre of the summit forming an angle of about 

 SO degrees, with a line drawn from the same point to the 

 place where the cloud begins to form on the windward 

 side and an angle of about 60 degrees with a line drawn 

 from that point to the place where the cloud disappears on 

 the leeward side. The cloud passes right over tlie sumn)it. 

 After an interval of two or three minutes another is formed 

 and disappears in the same way, and this continues. Mr. 

 Hutton first observed this phasnomenon in the end of July 

 last, about ten o'clock in the eveninir, the wind blowing 

 moderately from W. by S. Barometer 30, 11. He has ob- 

 served it since in August and September, at different times 

 of the day, and from different positions. 



2. Account of a portable printing press, invented by Mr. 

 John Rulhven, Edinburgh. h\ this contrivance the pressure 

 is produced by a wheel and pinion acting on the end of a 

 small lever, ft has a|)artments for holding ink, balls, and 

 every other article necessary, and prints oft a form not ex- 

 ceeding the size of a duodecimo page with the greatest 

 correctness and celerity. The press exhibited was about 

 21 inches long, 6broad, and 10 high, v\eighing about 22lbs. 

 including the page of types, chase, balls, ink^&c. and was 

 worked with great ease. An extract from the minutes of 

 the night's proceedings was printed off by it in the presence 

 of tlie meeting, and distributed anumg the members. 



3. An account of an improved syphon, by Mr. Archi- 

 bald Kerr, mathematical instrument-maker. This instru- 

 ment consists of a syphon with a stopcock ; and a ])ump- 

 barrel with a piston, valve, &c. The bottom of the barrel 

 communicates with the inside, immediately above the stop- 

 cock, at the end of the lower leg, for the purpose of ex- 



iracliiig 



