+ - « 
oR : * ; 
322 Proceedings of the British Association. — 
: . 
the Association, and under the able superintendence of Mr. Snow 
Harris, and with those made at Padua, Philadelphia and in Cey- 
lon, we perceive very distinct traces Of .meteorological laws, of 
‘which no idea had been previously formed; and I have no hesi- 
tation in stating that when observations of this class are multi- 
plied and extended, they will lead to general results of as great 
importance in predetermining atmospherical changes, as those 
which have enabled the astronomer to predict the phenomena of 
the planetary system. * * In comparing the number of hours 
of calm throughout the year, it appears that they occurred when 
the temperature was lowest, and upon laying them down ina 
curve, this curve was almost exactly the reverse of that of the 
mean daily temperature of the year ; that is, the wind, or com- 
motion in the atmosphere, depends on and varies with the tem- 
perature. This very important and new result is confirmed ina 
remarkable manner by the observations of Mr. Osler at Birming- 
ham ; observations of inestimable value, which were made at 
the request and expense of the British Association, and exhibit 
more important results respecting the phenomena and laws of 
wind than any which have been obtained since meteorology be- 
came one of the physical sciences. 
Comparative force of the wind during the twenty-four hours. 
Mr. Follett Osler brought forward a paper in which he gave the 
results of his investigations respecting the direction and force of 
the wind, deduced from the mean of 26,000 hourly observations, 
taken by the anemometer at.the Philosophical Institution at Bit- 
mingham, during 1837, 8 and 9. In tabulating these observa- 
tions, the curve obtained is found to be almost identical with 
that of the thermometer; not only for the whole year, put for” 
each season. 'The increase in the temperature, nee es 
the rise of the wind by a short interval, until it has at ained its 
maximum force; but as evening approaches, the wind declines 
more rapidly than the temperature. 
Mr. Caldecott made a communication respecting an Hourly reg- 
ister of Meteorological observations kept at Trevandrum, com- 
menced June 1, 1837, and to be continued to June 1, 1842. 
observatory was erected by the Rajah of Travancore, in lat. 
30’ 35” N. ; lon. 5h. Syn. E. of Greenwich ; 170 feet above the 
level of the sea, and distant from it in a direct line, about - 
miles. Every precaution appears to have been taken to insure 
sit 
