1873.] President's Address. 5 



In speaking of the scientific subjects which have occupied the Ordinary 

 Meetings of the Society, or which have been intended for publication in 

 its 'Transactions' or its ' Proceedings,' I may perhaps notice individually 

 the following : 



In Astronomy, we have communications from Messrs. Lockyer, Sea- 

 broke, and Huggins, on viewing the solar chromosphere and prominences. 

 And we have the elaborate paper of the Earl of Eosse on the heat 

 radiated from the Moon, with all the modifications depending on the 

 lunar phases and on the absorption produced by our atmosphere at 

 different elevations of the moon. 



In Oceanic Science, Mr. Wells has communicated observations on 

 the temperature of the sea between Greenland and Spitzbergen, esta- 

 blishing the unexpected fact that the water on the Spitzbergen coast i 

 considerably warmer than that on the Greenland coast ; and Commander 

 Wharton has ascertained with certainty that the outwards current of 

 the superficial waters from the Black Sea through the Bosphorus and 

 the Dardanelles is accompanied by an inwards current of the deeper 

 waters. 



In Biology, we have experiments and remarks by Dr. Bastian and 

 Messrs. Eay and Lankester on the development of life in organic infu- 

 sions, bearing partly on the disputed subject of spontaneous generation ; 

 and we have also a paper by Dr. Ward Eichardson " On Muscular <y 

 Irritability after Systemic Death," with other medical and physiological 

 discussions. 



In Palaeontology, Professor W. C. Williamson has continued his exa- 

 minations of the structure of fossil plants in the Coal-measures ; and 

 Professor Owen has extended his description of the Fossil Mammals of 

 Australia to those which may properly be referred to the same family as 

 the Kangaroos. 



In Botany, the more complex forms of leaf-arrangement around the 

 parent stalk have been referred to the primary form of leaves arranged in 

 two opposite ranks, by mechanical considerations of a simple character. 



In Chemistry we have numerous analyses and experiments, but, I 

 believe, no establishment of new general principles. 



In Optics, Messrs. Stearn and Lee have described the effects of pressure 

 on gases, in altering the character of their spectra. 



In Magnetism I believe that the only memoir is one describing the 

 internal magnetic influence of the largest iron tubes in existence, namely 

 the great tubular bridges of Bangor and Conway. 



In Mechanics there is much information by Sir W. Fairbairn on the 

 durability of iron ships, and on the strength of riveted joints ; and, in 

 combination of meteorological facts with mechanical invention, Mr. F. 

 Galton has planned a machine for indicating the best course for a ship. 



I scarcely need to remark that a limited list of communications, like 

 that which time permits me now to offer, must be very incomplete. 



