454 REPORT — 1895 



raising the rods. It will be admitted that all was done with due delibera- 

 tion and care, whilst the composition of the Committee was a guarantee 

 that the methods employed were the best adapted for the purpose. 



With regard to the still more important question that the New River 

 Company undertook to solve, viz., that of the existence or the non-exist- 

 ence of the Lower Green Sand beneath the district north of London, it will 

 be generally felt that, although very large sums of money were spent, 

 there is no reason for regretting the expenditure, inasmuch as it decided 

 a question of the greatest importaiice to the Metropolis. 



I am glad to have had the opportunity of making known some of the 

 facts connected with this inquiry, and hoj^e that sufficient evidence has 

 been brought forward to prove that the statements now made with respect 

 to the lie of the Palreozoic rocks at Ware and Turnford may be accepted as 

 perfectly trustworthy. 



Physiological Aiyplkcdions of the Fhonograph. — Report hy the Com- 

 mittee, consisting of Professor John G. McKendrick (Chairman), 

 Professor G. G. Murray, Mr. David S. Wingate, and Mr. 

 John S. McKendrick, on the Physiological Applications of the 

 Phonograph, and on the True Form (f the Voice-curves made by the 

 Instrument. 



The work of the Committee, up to the present time, has devolved almost 

 entirely upon Dr. McKendrick, who has embodied the results of his 

 reseai'ches in the paper puhlished in the number for July 1895 of the 

 'Journal of Anatomy and Physiology,' of which the following is an 

 abstract : — 



1. Increasing the Volume of Tone. — The Committee have succeeded in 

 accomplishing tlais (1) by the use of conical resonators, of great size, and 

 made of tin or aluminium ; and ('_') by combining with the phonograph 

 Alfred Graham's transmitter and loud-speaking telephone. 



2. Study oftlie Marks on the Cylinder of the Phonograph. — The physi- 

 cal nature of the marks on the wax cylinder have been investigated in 

 the following three ways : (1) Taking a cast in celloidin of the surface 

 of the cylinder ; (2) taking micro -photographs of portions of the surface 

 of the cylinder ; and (3) recording the curves on a slowly moving surface. 

 The best results were obtained by methods (2) and (3), and these will be 

 found fully described and illustrated by three plates in the ' Journal of 

 Anatomy and Physiology ' for July 1895, vol. xxix. (new series ;_vo]. ix., 

 part iv.), p. 583. 



The Committee desire reappointment and an additional grant of 25^. 

 It is proposed to carry out the following work during the year 1895-6 : — 



1. To continue the investigation of phonographic curves, especially 

 those of the voice, and to submit these to harmonic analysis. 



2. To obtain phonographic records of dialects, with the view of ascer- 

 taining how far such records could be made available for philological 

 purposes. It has been suggested that such a series of records, deposited 

 in the British Museum, might in after times, long after dialects had 

 become altered or had disappeared, be of great value to philologists. 



3. To endeavour to obtain phonogi-aphic records of cardiac and respi- 

 ratory sounds. 



