1884.] Treasurers Address. 441 



parency in the higher regions of the atmosphere. This probably may 

 be owing to the presence there of ice-crystals or of small particles of 

 matter of some kind, such as, personally, I am tempted to think, 

 might be due to the Krakatoa eruption. Whatever the cause, the 

 sky as seen from the Biffel was far from being so clear as it has been 

 during former years. Mr. Woods observed that the freer the lower 

 air was from cloud and mist, the more distinctly came out a great 

 aureola around the sun, which he found to have a diameter of about 

 44, and to be of a faint red near the outer boundary, and bluish- 

 white within, up to the sun's limb. 



These unfavourable conditions of the atmosphere have made it 

 impossible for Dr. Huggins to obtain any photographs of the corona 

 in England. The great advantage ab the Biffel of being free from 

 the light scattered from the lower 8000 feet of air has enabled Mr. 

 Woods, notwithstanding the serious drawback of the persistent aureola, 

 to obtain about 150 photographs, of which more than half are suffi- 

 ciently good to show the general form of the corona, and a smaller 

 number, the stronger details of that part of it which lies within from 

 8' to 12' of the sun's limb. It would be premature to express any 

 opinion as to the information which may eventually come out from 

 the Biffel plates. They are now being drawn preparatory to a full dis- 

 cussion. In the meantime I may congratulate the Society upon the con- 

 firmation of the hope expressed by our President at the last anniver- 

 sary, " that a new and powerful method of investigation has been 

 placed in the hands of students of solar physics." 



Another of the grants made by the Committee has also contributed 

 to important, scientific results, as it has enabled Mr. Caldwell to make 

 some important observations on the early stages of the monotrerae 

 ovum, a brief account of which was communicated to the meeting of 

 the British Association for the Advancement of Science at Montreal. 

 A fuller account of the observations, such as is necessary for the 

 adequate appreciation of their importance and bearings, will, I hope, 

 be laid before the Society during the ensuing session, when we 

 shall also probably hear the result of similar investigations in like 

 manner rendered possible by the existence of the Government Grant. 



Some slight aid has been rendered from the same source towards 

 the reduction of observations carried on at the meteorological station 

 on the summit of Ben Nevis. This Observatory, situated on the 

 highest point within the United Kingdom, has through the past year 

 been under the charge of Mr. B. T. Osmond and two assistants. 

 During the summer months the buildings of the Observatory have 

 been enlarged by the addition of new observing-rooms and increased 

 accommodation for the observers and any scientific workers who may 

 desire to carry on those physical researches for which the climate and 

 position of Ben Nevis afford many facilities. 



