iv CONTENTS. 



Page' 



Fourth Report of the Committee, consisting of Dr. Joule, Professor Sir Wil- 

 liam Thomson, Professor Tait, Professor Balfour Stewart, and Professor 

 J. Clerk Maxwell, appointed for the purpose of effecting the Determina- 

 tion of the Mechanical Equivalent of Heat 36 



Report of the Committee appointed for the purpose of endeavouring to pro- 

 cure Reports on the Progress of the Chief Branches of Mathematics and 

 Physics ; the Committee consisting of Professor G. Caret Foster (Secre- 

 tary), Professor W. G. Adams, Professor R. B. Clifton, Professor Cayley, 

 Professor J. D. Everett, Professor Clerk Maxwell, Lord Rayleigh, 

 Professor G. G. Stokes, Professor Balfour Stewart, Mr. Spottiswoode, 

 and Professor P. G. Tait 37 



Twelfth Report of the Committee, consisting of Professor Everett, Professor 

 Sir William Thomson, Professor J. Clerk Maxwell, Mr. G. J. Symons, 

 Professor Ramsat, Professor Geikie, Mr. J. Glaisher, Mr. Pengelly, 

 Professor Edward Hull, Professor Ansted, Dr. Clement Le Neve Foster, 

 Professor A. S. Herschel, Mr. G. A. Lebour, Mr. A. B. Wynne, Mr. Gal- 

 loway, Mr. Joseph Dickinson, and Mr. G. F. Deacon, appointed for the 

 purpose of investigating the Rate of Increase of Underground Temperature 

 downwards in various Localities of Dry Land and under Water. Drawn up 

 by Professor Everett (Secretary) 40" 



Report of the Committee, consisting of Professor Cayley, F.R.S., Professor 

 G. G. Stokes, F.R.S., Professor H. J. S. Smith, F.R.S., Professor Sir 

 William Thomson, F.R.S., Mr. James Glaisher, F.R.S., and Mr. J. W. 

 L. Glaisher, F.R.S. (Secretary), on Mathematical Tables. Drawn up by 

 Mr. J. W. L. Glaisher 46 



Sixth Report of a Committee, consisting of Professor A. S. Herschel, M.A., 

 F.R.A.S., Professor G. A. Lebour, F.G.S., and Mr. T. J. Dunn, B.Sc, 

 on Experiments to determine the Thermal Conductivities of certain Rocks, 

 showing especially the Geological Aspects of the Investigation 58 



Report of a Committee, consisting of Professor G. Forbes, Professor Sir 

 William Thomson, and Professor Everett, appointed to obtain Observa- 

 tions on Atmospheric Electricity at Madeira. Drawn up by Dr. Grabham, 

 Madeira 63 



Report of the Committee, consisting of Professor Sylvester, F.R.S. , and 

 Professor Cayley, F.R.S., appointed for the purpose of calculating Tables of 

 the Fundamental Invariants of Algebraic Forms 66 



Report of the Committee, consisting of the Rev. Samuel Haughton. M.D., 

 and Benjamin Williamson, M.A., appointed for the Calculation of Sun- 

 Heat Coefficients. Drawn up by Dr. Haughton 66 



Second Report of the Committee, consisting of Professor Sir William Thom- 

 son, Dr. Merrifield, Professor Osborne Reynolds, Captain Douglas 

 Galton, and Mr. J. N. Shoolbred (Secretary), appointed for the purpose 

 of obtaining information respecting the Phenomena of the Stationary Tides 

 in the English Channel and in the North Sea ; and of representing to the 

 Government of Portugal and the Governor of Madeira that, in the opinion 

 of the British Association, Tidal Observations at Madeira or other islands 

 in the North Atlantic Ocean -vould be very valuable, with the view to the 

 advancement of our knowledge of the Tides in the Atlantic Ocean 71 



Report of Observations of Luminous Meteors during the year 1878-79, by a 

 Committee consisting of James Glaisher, F.R.S., &c, R. P. Greg, F.G.S., 

 F.R.A.S., C. Brooke, F.R.S., Professor G. Forbes, F.R.S.E., Walter 

 Flight, D.Sc, F.G.S., and Professor A. S. Herschel, M.A., F.R.A.S. 

 (Reporter) 76 



