THE ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY, 1846. 465 



directed labour ; to such problems as these, especially when their 

 local character invests them with additional interest, and in some 

 degree prepares men's minds for the research, to such problems 

 the recommendation of a learned Society may, with full assurance 

 of the result, direct the attention of its Members. We know how 

 much our knowledge of the Antiquities of this country has bene- 

 fited by the proposal of such questions. Allow me to suggest one 

 or two of a similar character connected with Physical Science, as 

 examples of what may be done in other departments. 



In an interesting paper recently printed in the Philosophical 

 Magazine, Colonel Sabine has suggested that the almost unparal- 

 leled mildness of the late winter may possibly be explained by an 

 unusual extension of the Gulf-stream, bathing the shores of these 

 Islands, and carrying with it a portion of the high temperature of 

 the tropical region from which it flows. And the probability of 

 this explanation has been augmented by the fact, that in the 

 winter of 1821-2 (a winter in many respects resembling the last) , this 

 great oceanic current, whose force is usually spent when it reaches 

 the Azores, was actually observed in the neighbourhood of our 

 shores. I have long speculated upon the probable influence of the 

 Gulf-stream upon the Irish winters generally, which appear to be 

 much milder, in comparison with those of England, than can be 

 well accounted for upon the principles of insular climate alone ; 

 and I was glad to see, from Colonel Sabine' s paper, that my con- 

 jectures had some real foundation. Whether or not they will 

 account for the fact may, I think, be easily tested by a series of 

 observations of the temperature of the sea on the eastern and 

 western coasts of the Island, and under the same parallel ; and 

 I cannot but think that such a result, throwing so great a light 

 upon the Climatology of this country, would, if established, well 

 reward the labour bestowed in the investigation. 



The Climate of Ireland, indeed, engaged a large share of the 

 attention of the Academy during the lifetime of Kirwan; and 

 several papers on the subject, by himself and others, are to be 

 found in the early volumes of our Transactions. Should the 

 Royal Irish Academy, as I think it ought, take that subject again 

 under its peculiar care, the knowledge of it might be extended and 

 improved, by the observation of the times of the leafing and flower- 

 ing of certain plants, after the plan suggested and carried out by 

 M. Quetelet of Brussels, and now extensively followed in many 



