348 REPORT— 1894. 



Mir/ratioH of Birds. — Interim Report of a Committee, considing of 

 Professor A. Newton (Chairman), Mr. John Cordeaux (Secretary), 

 Messrs. R. M. Barrington, J. A. Harvie-Brown, W. Eagle 

 Clarke, and the Rev. E. P. Knubley, appointed for the p)vrpose 

 ■of malcing a Digest of the Oliservations on the Migration of Birds 

 at Lighthouses and Light-vessels. 



The Committee have to report that the systematic tabulation of the various 

 items in the schedules has at length been completed by one of their 

 number — Mr. W. Eagle Clarke — and that they are now prepared to 

 approach the subject of the final report, which it is hoped will be ready 

 for presentation at the meeting of the Association in 189.5 or, at t'he latest, 

 at the meeting in 1896. 



The Committee trust that the Association will reappoint them as 

 before. 



Tlbe Climatological and Hydrographical Conditions of Tropical Africa. — 

 Third Report of a Committee consisting of Mr. E. G. Ravenstein 

 (Chairman), Mr. Baldwin Latham, Mr. G. J. Symons, and Dr. 

 H. R. Mill (Secretary). (Drawn ^ip hy Mr. E. G. Ravenstein.) 



Your Committee, up to the end of July last, had issued five sets of 

 meteorological instruments at a cost, including forms, carriage, itc, exceed- 

 ing 100/. The first of these sets was entrusted to Mr. J. W. Moir (British 

 Central Africa), the second to Mr. Buchanan (British Central Africa), 

 the third to Captain Gallwey (Warri, Benin), the fourth to the Rev. C. 

 Eonzon (Lambai-ene on the Ogowe), and the fifth to the Rev. R. Clennie 

 {Bolobo, Congo). A si.xth set is kept in reserve for British East Africa. 



Two of these sets, namely, those in the hands of Mr. Buchanan and 

 Mr. Glennie, include Fortin barometers, whilst that granted to Captain 

 Gallwey includes a black bulb thermometer. 



Observations up to the latest possible date have been received from 

 Mr. Glennie, Mr. Bonzon, and Dr. Roth as representing Captain Gallwey. 



Instructions have been issued to the officials of the Royal Niger 

 Company to make their observations iza future in accordance with the 

 rules laid down by your Committee, and the like step is contemplated by 

 "tlie British East Africa Company. 



Summaries of meteorological returns are appended to this report. 

 Your Committee are quite aware that these observations are not in every 

 instance as complete and trustwortliy as could be desired. In some cases 

 the hours of observation are ill chosen (a very common occurrence), in 

 others the instruments are defective or the corrections to be applied to the 

 readings are unknown. If they are published notwithstanding, it is done 

 because they refer to localities concerning which nothing or very little is 

 known at the present time. 



Quite a number of meteorological records offered to the Committee for 

 publication have had to be rejected as being on the face of them utterly 

 untrustworthy. It seems a pity that -so much time and labour should 

 have been wasted upon recording observations which with a little fore- 

 tliought and caution might have furnished important information on the 

 climate of Tropical Africa. 



The grant of 5/. made to the Committee last year was not claimed. 



