279 
Monpay, January 14TH, 1856. 
THOMAS ROMNEY ROBINSON, D. D., Presipent, 
in the Chair. 
On the recommendation of the Council,— 
Ir was Reso.tvep,—That the thanks of the Academy be 
presented to His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant and Chief 
Secretary of Ireland, for the interest they have taken in the 
welfare of the Academy, in procuring from Government a 
grant of £150 for the purchase of the gold ornaments lately 
found in the county of Clare. 
The Secretary read a letter addressed to the President by 
Henry Hennessy, Esq., M.R.I.A., on the causes of certain 
phenomena observed in Lough Erne. 
‘‘ Catholic University, Dublin, 
“¢ January 1, 1856. 
«My pear Sir,—I have been reminded, by seeing Mr. 
Barton’s letter on the phenomena observed at Lough Erne, 
in the Proceedings of the Academy, that I promised to com- 
municate to you, in a letter, my views in explanation of the 
matter which I mentioned to you soon after the letter had 
been read. 
‘‘ It is well known that in hilly regions the alternations of 
temperature between the high and low grounds produce cur- 
rents alternately ascending and descending. Such currents 
have been specially studied by M. Fournet among the Alps. 
He points out how the action of descending currents in some 
places produces frost, so as to destroy young and tender plants 
in the valleys. In some quarters such a current is called 
‘loup de vent. It acts with great energy, and causes the 
thermometer to sink suddenly by 3 or 4 degrees centigrade 
(5° 4’ and 7° 2’ Fahrenheit). 
VOL. VI. 2F 
