CORRESPONDING SOCIETIES. 259 



member to observe the temperatare daily or weekly, as the case mi»ht be 

 in accordance with the rules to be drawn up by the Committee. It was 

 first proposed to ascertain how many observers would offer themselves in 

 various parts of the country, then to draw up a scheme of observations 

 and arrange for this being adopted. 



Mr. G. J. Symons pointed out the necessity in such observations for 

 having a well-considered scheme drawn up, as well as for having 

 absolutely reliable thermometers, without which no observations would 

 l3e of value. He also asked whether it was proposed that the cost of the 

 instruments should be met by a grant from the British Association, or 

 whether the Societies taking part in the observations should provide their 

 own thermometers. 



Mr. De Ranee remarked that in the case of the Committee which had 

 been formed for the observation of underground temperatures, and of 

 which Professor Lebour was a member, the thermometers had been 

 supplied by the Association. 



Mr. J. W. Davis raised the question as to whether it would be of use 

 to extend the observations to the streams in manufacturing districts. He 

 also asked what the Committee proposed to consider as an estuary. 



The Rev. H. Winwood remarked that it would be necessary in all 

 cases to_ record the depth at which the thermometer-reading was taken. 

 As a point of interest bearing upon the proposed observations, he stated 

 that it had been observed that the temperature of the lakes in the 

 Hebrides had been unusually high this year. 



Professor Lebour stated that the thermometers used by the Under- 

 ground Temperature Committee had been supplied by the Association, 

 but these instruments were very costly, and only a few observers had 

 taken part in the work. He was of opinion that if numerous Societies 

 took part in the observations, these should in each case bear the expense. 

 Dr. Garson expressed a hope that the temperatures would be recorded 

 on the Centigrade scale. 



Dr. Mill, in reply, said that he understood that the fact of the investi- 

 gation being sanctioned by a Committee of Section A was a sufiicient 

 guarantee that it should be carried out in a thoroughly scientific manner 

 with properly verified instruments of a uniform pattern, and employed in 

 the same way. The experience of the Scottish Marine Station for three 

 years suggested many precautions which should be adopted in this work. 

 The temperature of streams in manufacturing districts should certainly be 

 ascertained in as many cases as possible, in order to find whether the 

 increase of temperature of a river passing through a manufacturing town 

 is in any sense permanent. The term ' estuary ' should, in his opinion, be 

 used as meaning all parts of a tidal river between the upper limit of the 

 tide and the open sea. Each local Society should be asked to supply its 

 own thermometers, but all these should be verified at Kew, or compared 

 by some person appointed by the Committee. The observations would, 

 of course, be made on a uniform plan, and it would, probably, be found 

 more convenient to use the Fahrenheit than the Centigrade scale, but 

 the readmgs could be easily converted, if necessary. 

 Earth Tremor Committee —See under Section C. 



Section B. 



No recommendations forwarded or suggestions made. 



s 2 



