58 Meetings of the Scientific Association of Great Britain. 
On the state of knowledge, relative to mineral veins by John 
Taylor. ? 
Though it is impossible for me to give a complete account of the 
labors of the English philosophers at Cambridge, I will endeavor to 
give, at least, a sketch of some subjects which received attention from 
the section of physical science, in which I was more directly engaged. 
It will serve to give a more correct idea of the manner of proceeding. 
The secretary of this committee was Mr. Forbes; the president 
Mr. Peacock, whose efforts united to those of Messrs. Herschel, Bab- 
bage, and Whewell have contributed more to disseminate in England 
the modern system of notation, and the new analytical methods. 
Aurora Borealis, Shooting’ Stars.—The first sitting was devoted 
almost entirely to descriptions of the aurora borealis, and to mte- 
resting remarks on these brilliant meteors, made by Messrs. Dalton, 
Airy, Potter, Scoresby, Robinson, ete., in succession. ‘They en- 
deavored to determine the circumstances which should receive the 
most attention from observers during the phenomenon, and a very 
animated discussion accidentally arose on the subject of the rustling, 
which according to some observers very often accompanies the ap- 
pearance of the aurora borealis. Mr. Scoresby whose voyages in 
the polar regions are well known, was convinced that this rustling 
is amere illusion ; other persons, present at the meeting, declared on 
the contrary that they had heard it very distinctly. 
This animated discussion, sustained by men so highly distinguish- 
ed, and in a country where the aurora borealis so frequently appears, 
became more interesting, as it was in a measure a recapitulation of 
the state of knowledge respecting these meteors. It naturally led to 
the conclusion, that new observations were necessary, and that they 
should be multiplied as much as possible, in order to determine with 
precision all the circumstances of the phenomenon. It is remarka- 
ble that the number of appearances of the aurora borealis, has very ° 
sensibly diminished in our climate: the abbé Chevalier and the abbe 
Mann, who made meteorological observations at Brussels for the Pal- 
atine society of Manheim, fifty years ago, mention twenty four during 
a year, while we now observe but one or two during the same period. 
There was also a discussion on shooting stars, another phenome- 
non not less interesting and perhaps less studied than the pre- 
ceding, although it is seen much more frequently. This subject was 
also spoken of during a second meeting. ‘The numerous researches 
that I had made, with respect to these meteors, to determine their 
