264: REPORT—1874. 
that the entire disturbance of pressure may be capable of definite inter- 
pretation. 
If this can be accomplished so that in effect a working zero can be esta- 
blished, the only difficulty remaining to be encountered is the collateral one 
which arises from the motions impressed by the passage of the ship on the 
fluid which she displaces; this too, however, may prove not altogether 
intractable. 
Apart from the unexpected variations in results the general character of 
which had been already known, the only new results which have been brought 
out by these experiments have been those which relate to the state of 
pressure at the end of the pressure-tube, whether (1) it project into the 
water in the usual manner, or (2) be cut off absolutely flush with the sur- 
face through which it issues. 
The fact that in the former case the area of the pipe-end when stopped is 
covered (so to speak) with negative pressures which are of considerable 
amount, and which vary largely within a limited area, only serves to show 
that this part of the tube cannot be usefully applied to the purposes of the log. 
But the fact that (contrary, I own, to my previous belief’), in the latter 
case, the pressure seems to be almost absolutely neutral, whether the end of 
the tube be stopped with a perforated plane or be wholly open, suggests the 
hope that here also might be found a tolerably sound basis for a working zero 
of pressure. Doubtless the use of it would be exposed to one important ob- 
jection—namely, that if a barnacle were to attach itself to the surface any- 
where near the aperture, especially in front of it, the truthfulness of the zero 
would be destroyed; it is possible, too, that some causes of error might be 
found to exist in the “‘drag’’ of the eddies in the belt of water disturbed 
by the friction of the ship’s surface. Nevertheless the idea that a trust- 
worthy zero may be obtained on this basis, suggests itself as one deserving 
of consideration and inquiry. : 
Nothing in these experiments, however, tends at all to disparage the value 
of an instrument based on the principle which has been investigated, if 
the instrument be regarded as one the scale of which has to be inter- 
preted by special experiment after it has been fitted to the ship in which 
its indications are to be made use of; and although in some respects its 
value would have been considerably greater if its scale could have been 
regarded as self-interpreting and self-justifying, yet, even under the prac- 
tical limitation which has been referred to, the instrument, if well organized, 
must be regarded as possessing the highest practical usefulness. 
W. Frovpe. 
Report of the Committee, consisting of the Rev. H. F. Barnzs, H. E. 
Dresser (Secretary), T. Harztann, J. E. Harrine, Professor 
Newton, and the Rey. Canon Tristram, appointed for the purpose 
of inquiring into the possibility of establishing a “ Close Time” for 
the protection of indigenous animals. 
Tur Committee reappointed at Bradford to continue the investigation on the 
desirability of establishing a “Close Time” for the preservation of indigenous 
animals, beg leave to report as follows :— 
1. The Report of the Select Committee, appointed in 1873 by the House 
of Commons to consider the subject of the Protection of Wild Birds, which 
