22 



The Committee to whom was referred Dr. Morton's com- 

 munication, entitled, "An Inquiry into the Form of the Head 

 and other Ethnographic Characters of the Ancient Egyptians/' 

 reported in favour of its publication in the Transactions; — 

 which was ordered accordingly. 



The communications presented at the centennary meeting 

 by Mr. Breck, Mr. Tyson, Dr. Coates, and Mr. Gilpin, were 

 referred to the Historical and Literary Committee, with power 

 to take order in reference to the publication of them. 



Professor Henry made an oral communication in regard to 

 the application of Melloni's thermo-electric apparatus to me- 

 teorological purposes, and explained a modification, to which 

 he had been led in the course of his researches, of the parts 

 connected with the pile. He had found the vapours near the 

 horizon powerful reflectors of heat; but in the case of a distant 

 thunder storm, he had found that the cloud was colder than the 

 adjacent blue space. 



Referring to the theory of the discharge of the Leyden jar, 

 which he had submitted to the Society some time since, Prof. 

 Henry examined some apparent objections to it, resulting from 

 the researches of Matteucci. The effect produced on the gal- 

 vanometer by the discharge of a battery, is due to the retarda- 

 tion of the lesser waves of electricity, a fact which indicates the 

 cause of Matteucci's results, when a card was pierced by the 

 currents induced in a neighbouring wire conductor forming an 

 open circuit. 



Professor Henry described several experiments on the direct 

 and return stroke, showing that equilibrium was restored by 

 the same succession of oscillations; large and small needles 

 placed in spirals forming part of an electrical circuit, being 

 magnetized in different directions. The disturbance of the 

 electrical plenum by a discharge of electricity was referred to, 

 as explanatory of the induction which takes place; and the 

 subject was applied to the explanation of various phenomena; 

 among others, the light appearing in well authenticated cases 

 about persons and objects in the neighbourhood of a discharge 

 of lightning in its direct passage ; and suggestions were made 

 as to the most effectual mode of protecting powder houses, 

 &c., from the effects of lightning. 



