Astronomical Societi/. 241 



deserving of the Society's medal, on the day appointed by the bye- 

 laws for awarding the same, it has not been adjudged this year. 



Amongst the numerous works presented to the Society during the 

 past year, the Council notice with much gratification, the Miscella- 

 neous Works of Dr. Bradley, by the University of Oxford, edited 

 under the able superintendence of Professor Rigaud : containing what 

 has long been considered a desideratum in the history of Astronomy, 

 the original observations made at Kew and at Wanstead, with the 

 zenith sector, and the progress of his celebrated discoveries of aber- 

 ration and nutation. The principal part of these valuable documents 

 were discovered by the active and diligent search of Professor Rigaud, 

 amongst the papers of the late Dr. Hornsby, whose family readily 

 gave them up to the University for publication ; the rest have been 

 collected from various sources : and the volume altogether reflects 

 great credit on the University of Oxford, and adds new lustre to the 

 character of the distinguished astronomer whose labours it records. 



The Council are happy to announce that the plan for making a 

 minute survey of the heavens, and for the formation of some new ce- 

 lestial charts, under the superintendence and direction of the Royal 

 Academy of Sciences at Berlin, appears to have been carried into full 

 effect ; and three portions of this useful and valuable undertaking 

 now lie on the table : viz. the 10th hour in ^-R by Professor Gobel of 

 Coburg, the 1 ith hour by the Rev. T. J. Hussey of Chislehurst, and 

 the 18th hour (in duplicate) by Padre Giovanni Jnghirami of Flo- 

 rence, and M. Capocci of Naples. The respective catalogues contain 

 a list of all the stars (reduced to the year 1800) within 15° of the 

 equator, which are to be found in Bradley, Piazzi, Lalande's Histoire 

 Celeste, and Bessel's Zones: whilst the charts contain, besides these 

 stars, such other additional ones as may have been seen by the re- 

 spective observers, down to the 10th magnitude exclusive. This work, 

 when complete, will form the most extensive and accurate general 

 catalogue of the stars that ever was produced; and will be a valuable 

 acquisition to the practical astronomer. 



To P. Inghirami the public are also indebted for another recent 

 production, executed on the true principles of science, under the pa- 

 tronage of the Grand Duke Leopold II. This consists of a laborious 

 and detailed survey of Tuscany, deduced from a base of 4488*08 

 toises, measured with the most rigid precaution' between Pisa and 

 Leghorn in the autumn of 1817. Besides giving an excellent series 

 of determined latitudes and longitudes, in the course of leading his 

 chain of triangles from the valley of the Arno to the mountains of the 

 interior, P. Inghirami has entered into an investigation of some deli- 

 cate corrections, arising from what he terms " lateral refraction ; " 

 of which an interesting memoir was communicated to the Academica 

 Labronica in 1818. One great advantage attending this valuable 

 work is the prompt and speedy manner in which it has been published; 

 whereby the present generation, which has contributed to its produc- 

 tion, will reap the benefit and information contained in this national 

 undertaking : a consideration too often neglected. 



The year vvliirh has just cx|)ired has .ilso been marked by the pro- 

 I'liird Series. Vol. I. No. .';. AVy;/. 1 SD-i. 2 I 



