EEPORTS 



ON 



THE STATE OF SCIENCE. 



Report of the Lunar Committee for Mapping the Surface of the Moon. 

 Drawn up by W. R. Birt^ at the request of the Committee, consisting 

 0/ James GlaisheRj F.R.S., Lord Rosse, F.R.S., Lord WrottesleYj 

 F.R.S., Sir J. Herschel, Bart., F.R.S., Professor Phillips, F.R.S., 

 Rev. C. Pritchard, F.R.S., W. Huggins, F.R.S., Warren De la 

 Rue, F.R.S., C. Brooke, F.R.S., Rev. T. W. Webb, F.R.A.S., 

 J. N. Lockyer, F.R.A.S., Ilerr Schmidt, and W. R. Birt, 

 F.R.A.S. 



The Report now presented contains an account of the proceedings of the 

 Lunar Committee during the past Association year. These proceedings have 

 reference to the following subjects : — First, the registration of craters and 

 other visible objects. Secondly, the construction of an outline map. And 

 thirdly, an examination of an alleged change upon the surface of the moon. 



The Registration of Objects. — In connexion with this head nothing has 

 transpired during the past year to render necessary any addition to the plan 

 proposed by the Committee in 1865. The mode of registration was treated 

 very fully in the Report presented at Birmingham, and published in the 

 volume of Reports for 186.5, pp. 287-300. 



The number of objects now registered are as follows : — 



514 on 124 Areas in Quadrant I. 



349 „ 86 „ „ II. 



205 „ 57 „ „ III. 



557 „ 62 „ „ IV. 



Total 1625 „ 329 „ on the moon's surface 



J) 



The Outline Map. — During the past year the Committee authorized the 

 engraving and printing of Areas IV A* and IV^, also the printing of the 

 catalogue of objects inserted on those areas, and the distribution of copies to 

 gentlemen taking part in the work. As the printing was com]deted, and 

 the issue had commenced before the last Report had gone to press, it was 

 considered advisable, in order to give them greater circulation, to append 

 these areas and catalogue to that Report. They form Appendix III., Report, 

 1866, pp. 239-280. 



The Committee, recognizing the great importance of obtaining periodical 

 examinations of the moon's disk, suggested that the entire surface should be 

 divided into subzones of 1° of latitude (Report, 1866, p. 240), and allotted to 



1867. ^ ^ a 



