1825.] Astronomicai Society. 307 



March 17. — The names of Dr. J. L. Tiarks and Dr. J. "Richard- 

 son were ordered to be inserted in the printed lists of the Society ; 

 and the Society for promoting Animal Chemistry communicated 

 a paper by Sir E. Home, Bart. VPRS. entitled Observations on 

 the Influence of the Nerves and Ganglions in producing Animal 

 Heat. 



March 24. — Major C. Hamilton Smith was admitted a Fellow 

 of the Society; and a paper was read,' containing Results of 

 Meteorological Observations taken at the Madras Observatory ; 

 by John Goldingham, Esq. FRS. These results are for a period 

 of twenty-six years, extending from 1796 to 1822; and are given 

 ill a variety of tables, with explanatory remarks. 



In consequence of the approaching fast and festival, the 

 Society then adjourned over two Thursdays, to meet again on 

 April 14. 



ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY. 



Feb. 11. — The fifth Annual General Meeting of the Society 

 was this day held at the Society's rooms in Lincoln's Inn Fields, 

 for the purpose of receiving the Report of the Council upon the 

 state of the Society's aflairs, electing Officers for the ensuing 

 year, &c. &.c. 



The President, H. T, Colebrooke, Esq. in the Chair. 



The Report, which was read by Dr. Gregory, and ordered to 

 be printed for distribution amongst the members, commenced 

 by expressing the gratification felt by the Council on witnessing 

 tiie growing prosperity of the Society, and the increasing 

 evidence of the utility of its institution. It proceeded to state, 

 that for the yjurpose of still further alleviating the labour of the 

 practical astronomer (the Society having already published in 

 vol. i. part 2, of its Memoirs, tables for facilitating the computa- 

 tion of the apparent places of 4(j principal stars), the Council 

 had deemed it desirable that tables of precession, aberration, 

 and nutation, should be computed, embracing, 1st, all stars 

 above the 6tli magnitude ; 2nd, all stars to the Gth magnitude 

 inclusive, whose declination should not exceed 30° ; and 3d, all 

 stars to the 7th magnitude inclusive, within 10° of the ecliptic; 

 and that a considerable portion had already been computed 

 under the superintendance of Mr. Baily and Mr. Gompertz, and 

 would be forthwith published, accompanied by an explanatory 

 preface, drawn up, at the request of the Council, by Mr. Baily. 

 The Report then noticed, in terms of well-merited panegyric, the 

 very valuable collection of astronomical tables lately published 

 by Dr. Pearson, the Treasurer; and it will be no little gratifica- 

 tion to the scientific world to be informed, that the tables con- 

 stitute only a part of a comprehensive treatise on Practical 

 AKtroiiomy upon which Dr. l*earson is still engaged. It thea 

 adverted to the visit of Mr. lierschel, the Foreign Secretary, tQ. 



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