XXIV. 



mented wood implements, received from Mr. Canham, of 

 Stuart's Creek. He rejected the notion that the figures are 

 symbols, and held the opinion that they were intended for 

 ornament. The two specimens exhibited showed a symmetry 

 of pattern of at least three styles, and he said that symmetry 

 is the first aim of barbarous nations in their attempt at orna- 

 mentation, whilst symbolic characters are to a very large extent 

 dissimilar. To further speculate on their meaning, he con- 

 sidered, must be labour thrown away, and he very much 

 doubted if they can be regarded as the production of the un- 

 tutored aboriginal. 



Papers read: — 1. " Some Remarks on the Late Comet," by 

 Professor H. Lamb, M.A. 



[abstract.] 



Professor Lamb, in continuation of the discussion of the 

 previous meeting on Mr. Charles Todd's paper, wished to con- 

 sider two points only. The first was as to the results of the 

 spectroscopic examination of comets, which he ventured to say 

 was rather inadequately stated on the previous occasion, 

 though that was no fault of Mr. Todd ; and the second was as 

 to a theory of comets propounded by Professor Tait, of Edin- 

 burgh. By the printed report of last meeting he saw that it 

 had been stated that no very definite results had been arrived 

 at by spectroscopic examination of comets. But since the 

 instruments had obtained their present perfection no comets of 

 very great brilliancy had appeared. "When the great comet of 

 1858 was visible these appliances had not reached a state of 

 perfection. But iu 1874-5 had appeared Coggia's comet, and 

 Dr. Huggins had examined it spectroseopically. From the coma 

 he had obtained a spectrum of bright bands. From the nucleus 

 he also got a gaseous spectrum, and the result of his observa- 

 tions appeared to suggest that in comets there is some solid 

 matter, as in the tail, capable of reflecting sunlight, as shown 

 by a continuous spectrum. The gaseous spectrum showed 

 indications of heated gas in portions. The spectrum of bright 

 lines which had been observed was similar to what had been 

 observed in at least one other comet, and the same which was 

 obtained from carbon, which was curious. On examining the 

 spectrum a second time Dr. Huggins found bright lines, 

 showing a shifting of the body, such as was observed in the 

 case of the fixed stars. The theory of comets put forward by 

 Professor Tait, of Edinburgh, was that comets consisted of a 

 mass of stones, which might vary in size. It was strange that 

 this was not put forward before by a Scientific Society or 

 a scientific magazine, where it might have been expected to be 

 found. It was in a lecture delivered to working men, and he 

 had found it in Good Words. His idea was that the comet was 



