Proceedings of the British Associatio?i. 149 



lime of the Transactions of the Roy. Ast, Soc. But there is the 

 same necessity, (grounded on the incorrectness of magnitudes, as 

 laid down in all existing charts,) for a revision of the northern as 

 well as southern stars in this respect. It therefore becomes 

 worthy of consideration, whether a similar plan may not advan- 

 tageously be carried into execution in both hemispheres. And as 

 at all events, the actual state of the celestial charts in both is such 

 as to admit of great improvement from an assemblage of more 

 correct photometric data, a general review of all the stars, down 

 to the fifth magnitude, with this especial object in view, has 

 been undertaken by one of the members of the committee, con- 

 ducted on the same plan, the principle of which is explained in 

 the paper alluded to. This review is in a state of considerable 

 advancement, and should circumstances and weather favor, will 

 probably be completed before the next meeting." 



On the reduction of Meteorological Observations made at the 

 Solstices and, Equinoxes. Sir J. Herschel reported, that the 

 whole number of series in hand, amounts to more than three 

 hundred, being the results of observations at about sixty stations. 

 During the past year, Mr. Birt has been employed in tabulating, 

 reducing, projecting and comparing the barometric curves, a pro- 

 cess which has been completed for the whole of the American 

 group, (which is byiar the most numerous and consecutive,) for 

 the years 1835, 1836, 1837, and for March, 1838, comprising 

 eighty eight series made at twenty eight stations. * * The 

 tabulated results of these reductions and their projected curves 

 accompanied the Report. 



The Astronomer Royal made report on the publication of the 

 Hourly Observations made at Plymouth, under the superintend- 

 ence of Mr. W. S. Harris. 1. The first series of observations 

 for the thermometer extends from May, 1832, to Dec. 1836, and 

 contains readings for every hour of the day and night. The 

 means of the readings are taken for each day, and for each hour 

 the means of groups of ten or eleven days are taken. 3. The 

 second series extends from Jan. 1837 to Dec. 1839, and contains 

 readings of the wet and dry thermometer for every hour of the 

 day and night. The means of the readings are taken for each 

 day. 3. The barometrical observations extend from Jan. 1837 

 to Dec. 1839, and contain readings of the barometer and attached 

 thermometer for every hour of the day and night. The means 



