“ 
94 British Association for the Advancement of Science. 
“The Marquis of Bredalbane was chosen. President for the en- 
suing year. The next meeting will be at Glasgow, commencing 
on n the 17th of September, 1840. 
‘Section A. Wins and Physics. 
+ Prot. Whewell, President of the Section, in a brief address, 
sobeaticd that one of the chief objects of the association was to 
“grant sums of money to individuals or committees engaged in the 
pursuit of particular branches of science. Reports were then read 
" concerning the progress of various committees in the duties as- 
signed to them, as follows. 
1. On a grant of £200, for the reduction, under the supervi- 
sion of Sir J. Herschel, Mr. Airy, and Mr. Henderson, of the stars 
observed by Lacaille at the Cape of Good Hope, and recorded in 
his Calum Australe Stelliferum ; the committee reported “that 
considerable progress has been made in the reduction of the stars 
in Lacaille’s Celum Australe Stelliferum ; and that, although only 
a small portion of the money appropriated, has been actually ex- 
pended, nearly the whole will probably be required, during the 
ensuing year, to complete the work.” 
. Ona grant of £50 to defray expenses which might arise in 
the course of an inquiry, committed to Sir J. Herschel, Prof. 
Whewell, and Mr. Baily, concerning a revision of the nomencla- 
ture of the stars and a new distribution of the constellations ; ! it 
was reported, “that some progress has been made in reforming 
the nomenclature of the northern constellations; and that the 
stars in the southern have been commenced isetine down ona 
planisphere, according to their observed actual magnitudes, for 
_ the purpose of grouping them in a more convenient and advan- 
tageous manner. No expense has been incurred in this inquiry, 
_but the committee are desirous that the grant should be continued 
for another year.” 
3. Ona grant of £500 for the reduction of the stars in the 
_ Histoire Céleste, under the superintendence of Mr. Baily, Mr. 
Airy, and Dr. Robinson ; it was reported, “ that the reduction of 
the stars in the Histoire Céleste has been commenced, and already 
13,000 stars have been reduced, at an expense of about £170. 
It is presumed that the greater part, if not the whole, of the re 
mainder may be completed in the course of the ensuing yeatj 
and it is, therefore, expedient that the grant of money should be 
continued.” 
* 
