392 Proceedings of Philosophical Societies, J^May, 



nebula, the light of which retires from them in a semicircular 

 form, as if they had either absorbed or repelled the light from 

 their immediate vicinity. 



The same appearance, the Astronomer Royal remarks, is 

 observable in the trapezium, round the four stars of which the 

 light has also receded analogously, leaving them on a compara- 

 tively dark ground. He conjectures that the stars have been the 

 immediate cause of the disappearance of the light; and therefore 

 he wishes to draw the attention of astronomers to the phsenome- 

 non, as it seems to deserve a marked attention. 



The Astronomer Royal has noticed a similar appearance, still 

 more decidedly, in another part of the same nebula, at some 

 minutes' distance from the trapezium. 



2. A communication from Colonel Mark Beaufoy, a member 

 of the Council of this Society, was read. It contains, 



1st. Observed transits of the moon and of moon-culminating 

 stars, over the middle wire of his transit instrument at Bushey 

 Heath in sidereal time. These were observed in the course of 

 1825, and amount to 322. 



2dly. Occultations of stars by the moon, in number 6. 



3dly. Observations of two lunar eclipses in 1825. 



4thly. Observations of eclipses of Jupiter's satellites, in 1825, 

 at Bushey Heath. These amount to 25, and the results are 

 given both in Bushey and Greenwich mean time. 



There was also read a communication from Major J. A. Hodg- 

 son, of the 61st Bengal Native Infantry, Revenue Surveyor- 

 General, residing at Futty Ghur, on the Ganges. This letter 

 records 75 observations of the eclipses of Jupiter's satellites, 

 made at Futty Ghur (latitude 27° 21' 35" N.), in the autumn of 

 1824, and spring of 1825. Some of these observations were 

 made by Major Hodgson himself ; and others under his superin- 

 tendance, by young men who are his apprentices in the Revenue 

 Survey Department. The names of the several observers are 

 given: — each observation has its appropriate meteorological 

 indications registered: and the natures, powers, and qualities, 

 of the telescopes employed, are respectively described. These 

 observations, compared with corresponding observations of the 

 same phsenomena in any places whose longitudes have been 

 accurately ascertained, will serve to determine the longitude of 

 Major Hodgson's observatory. 



GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



March 17. — A paper was read, entitled, " On the Strata of 

 the Plastic Clay Formation exhibited in the Cliils between 

 Christchurch Head, Hampshire, and Studiand Bay, Dorsetshire ; 

 by Charles Lyell, Esq. FGS. &c. 



The strata of sand and clay which form the subject of this 

 communication are referable exclusively to the Plastic-clay 



