116 
NATURE 
GN o> ee ee 
* oe bd 
[Dec. 1, 1881 — 
Progress has also been made in the more voluminous portion 
of the catalogue, viz. that of the general collection of scientific 
books, of which thirteen sheets, extending to the end of the 
letter C, are printed off, or are in type; and subsequent titles 
are in type. It may fairly be hoped that before our next 
anniversary the whole will be published. 
The last part of the Philosophical Transactions for 1880 was 
published in March of the present year, completing a volume of 
nearly 1100 pages, with upwards of fifty plates. Of the Zrans- 
actions for 1881, Parts I. and II. have already appeared ; from 
which an early publication of Part III, may be anticipated. 
Of the Proceedings, vol. 31 was published in June, and vol. 
32 at the end of October. 
Although, as I remarked last year, we are more concerned 
with the quality than with the quantity of the communications 
made to the Society, it may still be interesting to carry on the 
table of the number of papers presented per annum to a tenth 
year. It stands as follows :— 
1872 sie 99 papers received, 
4.4): ie a ac ae 92)" is of 
TSy 4) au. oe Ee 60 98> =; Ho 
BS87G. los eae “i = Feige ep oF 
1876"... ne re voce) ODES Es a4 
TO77! © ces rs Aes ies 57 eas oA 
ES7S. © ees Rs bes veel TION bs “A 
1879 TIS, ” 
1880 Posts, A 
1881 P27 iets. an 
These 127 papers include one from Mr. Brooks of Baltimore, 
two from Prof, Helmholtz, and one from Capt. Mannheim, of 
the Ecole Polytechnique, Paris. On reference to the ‘papers 
themselves it will be noticed that several prominent men are 
carrying on with vigour the series of researches on which they 
have been, in some cases for years, engaged. Among them 
there may be mentioned, in physics, those of Professors Liveing 
and Dewar, and of Mr. Lockyer, on the Spectra of Terrestrial 
Substances and of the Sun; those of Prof. Hughes on Minute 
Interactions of Electric Currents and Magnetism ; those of Mr. 
Crookes on High Vacua; and those of Mr. H. Tomlinson on 
the effect of Stress and Strain on the action of Physical Forces. 
Mr, G. H, Darwin continues his already classical memoirs on 
the mechanical history of the solar system; and Capt. Abney 
has opened out to view, by photographic means of his own in- 
vention, a part of the spectrum of the sun and of other bodies, 
beyond the red, hitherto invisible ; and last, but not least, Prof. 
Tyndall in his Bakerian Lecture has given an account of his re- 
searches on the action of Free Molecules on Radiant Heat, and 
its Conversion thereby into Sound. In Biology I may mention 
the investigations of Mr. Romanes on nerve systems; those of 
Prof. Ferrier on the connection between special portions of the 
brain and special motor organs of the animal system ; those of 
Mr. Parker on the Skull of the Batrachia, and of Prof. W. C. 
Williamson on the fossil plants of the Coal-measures. Among the 
newer subjects, the experiments of Dr. Young and Prof. George 
Forbes on the velocity of light of different colours have naturally 
arrested considerable attention for several reasons, and especially 
because the conclusions thence deduced, if ultimately established, 
would fundamentally modify our views of the constitution of the 
luminiferous ether. 
For several years past I have been able with much satisfaction 
to report that there had been no change in the staff of officers of 
the Society. I much wish that I could have done so again, But 
the longer a capable man lives and is available, the more will 
work accumulate on his hands; and the time at last comes when 
something must be given up, lest, in the multiplication of avoca- 
tions, powers which might otherwise have been devoted to some 
great and good purpose, and on operations not within the grasp 
of every one, should become dissipated among a variety of ob- 
jects: A feeling that life must not be spent merely in running 
hither and thither, and a desire that it should be something better 
than a mere feat of mental agility exhibited in passing rapidly 
from one occupation to another, doubtless operated in leading 
Sir Joseph Hooker to resign the presidentship; and a similar 
feeling has recently led to the resignation of the secretaryship by 
Prof. Huxley. That this loss is great will be felt by every 
Fellow of the Society ; it will be more keenly felt by his brother 
secretaries and the treasurer, but most of all by your president. 
Connected as I have been with bim through a series of years by 
ties of office in the Society, by bonds of friendship and trust as 
thorough as can exist between man and man, I cannot but miss 
for a long time to come his ever willing support, his sound 
counsel and advice, and the cheery manfulness with which he 
would always address himself to any business, however difficult, 
uninviting, or heavy. 
The post is one which it is not easy to fill. Many qualifica- 
tions go to make up a good secretary ; and although none of us 
so ‘despaired of the republic” as to doubt that a good successor 
would be found, we still felt some anxiety until we were in a 
position confidently torecommend a name for your consideration. 
Prof, Michael Foster’s great scientific attainments, his adminis- 
trative powers as shown in founding the great School of Biology — 
at Cambridge, the confidence with which he inspires all around 
him, alike point him out as a man eminently fitted for the post. 
It would indeed have been agreeable to ycur president to have 
had one of the principal secretaries resident in London ; but the 
means of communication are now so different from what they 
formerly were that questions of distance almost disappear ; and 
it is certainly not without its advantages that the two principal 
secretaries, if not resident in London, should reside in the same 
city. 
In the course of the spring of the present year Sir Joseph 
Copley, the present representative of the Founder of the Copley 
Memorial, explained in a visit to the president his wish to ‘‘ pro- 
vide in perpetuity an annual bonus of 50/. a year, to be given to the 
recipient of the Copley Medal.” As the donor’s views on the terms 
of the gift were completely made up, and were not offered for dis- 
cussion by the Society, or otherwise open to modification, the 
Council decided to accept the offer in the spirit in which it was 
made, and on the terms prescribed. In accordance with this, 
Sir Joseph transferred a sum in Consols sufficient to provide for 
the bonus proposed. This acceptance will not in any way affect 
the adjudication of the Medal, nor, it is to te hoped, the high 
estimation in which that award has always been held, 
The period of five years during which tke experiment of the 
Government Fund of 4000/, per annum was to be tried has now 
expired. In a former address I have expressed opinions gathered 
from many of the Fellows of the Society, and have indicated 
my own. The President and Council have now, at the request 
of the Department of Science and Art, thrcugh which the vote 
is made, drawn up a report on the question, based upon the ex- 
perience gained up to the present time, and have made sugges- 
tions with a view to a modified arrangement for the future. The 
Society will be duly informed of the result of those communica- 
tions. In the mean time it may not be out of place to remind 
the Fellows that a statement of all grants made within the year 
is published in the report of our anniversary proceedings. 
The report of the Challenger Expedition, of which mention 
was made last year, is in the course of publication; and three 
volumes have now appeared, Copies of these have been pre- 
sented by the Treasury to our library, Vols. ii. and iii, refer to 
the curicus forms of life found in what Sir Wyville Thomson 
has called the ‘‘ Abysmal Region,” and are coy iously illustrated 
with lithographs. The interest which attaches to this publiea- 
tion is evinced by the fact that thefirst edition of the second 
volume is already exhausted. A second edition of it is in the 
course of printing. The Fellows will doubtless have observed 
that the printing of the text and the execution of the plates are 
maintained at the same high standard as that exhibited at the 
outset. 
Among other scientific publications of the year, I may men- 
tion the third volume of Roscoe and Schorlemmer’s work on 
Chemistry ; Mr. Balfour’s on Embryology; and Mr, Darwin’s 
on Vegetable Mould. 
In December last the Council authorised the loan of the 
Philosophical Transactions from one of our complete sets, five 
volumes at a time, to the Delegates of the Oxford University 
Press, for the preparation of a Philological English Dictionary, 
under the editorship of Dr. Murray. It is hoped that this loan 
will contribute to the completeness of the work in respect of 
scientific terms. Forty-one volumes have been already utilised 
in this way. 
Towards the close of last session a communication was re- 
received from the India Office inclosing a copy of a report and 
memorandum, on Pendulum Observations, by Major Herschel, 
and asking the advice of the President and Council thereon. 
Subsequently there followed another communication from the 
same office, inclosing a copy of a letter from the same officer, 
with an extract from a letter to him from Mr. Peirce of the 
United States Coast Survey. These documents were referred 
