Aitronomical Socieij/. 227 



Dec. 2. — Read a Description of an undescribed species of Pha- 

 sianus, by Mr. Benjamin Leadbeater, F.L.S. 



Two living specimens of this splendid bird, which is from the 

 mountains of Cochin China, were presented by the King of Ava to 

 Sir Archibald Campbell, and by him to the Countess Amherst, who 

 succeeded in bringing them alive to England; but they died shortly 

 after their arrival. One of the preserved specimens, which now 

 forms part of the collection of Mr. Leadbeater, was exhibited at the 

 meeting. The species has been named Phasianus Amherstice. 



Jan. 20. — Read " Descriptions of the new genera and species of 

 the class CompositcE belonging to the Floras of Peru, JVIexico, and 

 Chili," by Mr. David Don, Libr. L.S. 



Feb. 3. — Read Some observations on the Common Bat of Pennant, 

 with an attempt to prove its identity with the Pipistrelle of French 

 authors, by the Rev. Leonard Jenyns, M.A. F.L.S. 



The Common Bat of our country having been referred by every 

 systematic writer from the time of Pennant to the present day to 

 Vespertilio murinus, Linn., Mr. Jenyns points out the great differ- 

 ence between our bat, and that to which continental authors give 

 the Linnaean name, both in colour, general appearance, the shape 

 of the auricle and its operculum ; and in the relative dimensions 

 and absolute size. He considers the species of the foreign authors 

 to be the V. murmus: and he states that all our English writers, in- 

 cluding Griffith and Fleming, have only repeated Pennant's descrip- 

 tion, or translated Linnaeus's specific character. He then con- 

 cludes that our common bat is the Pipistrelle of Daubenton and 

 succeeding writers. 



The author adds some interesting observations on the habits of 

 Bats : each species, he finds, have their peculiar place of conceal- 

 ment ; also that the same increase of temperature which will revive 

 them from torpidity early in the winter, will not have that effect 

 (nor will even a much higher one) after they have been rendered 

 completely torpid by severe frost. 



Feb. l^. — The reading of Mr. Don's " Descriptions of the new 

 genera and species of Composites from Peru, Mexico, and Chili," 

 was continued. 



ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY. 



Nov. 14. — A paper, by Mr. .Tames Epps, was read, containing 

 " Tables for readily ascertaining the azimuthal deviation of a transit 

 instrument from the meridian, by observed tran.sits over the vertical 

 it describes; with the method of reducing these observations to the 

 meridian, and of determining the exact state of the clock in respect 

 to sidereal time." 



There was also read Part L of a communication from Captain 

 P.W.Grant, of the Bengal Survey Department, on what he consi- 

 ders "some new and improved methods of finding the longitude." 



The following extract from a letter addressed to J. F. W. Iler- 



sclicl, Esq., President, by the Astronomer Royal, was next read :— 



2 G 2 " The 



