299 
JANUARY 287TH, 1856. 
HUMPHREY LLOYD, D.D., in the Chair. 
Proressor Hennessy read a paper on Meteorology. 
“‘ In the first part of the paper the principles and methods of 
meteorological inquiries were discussed, and some fundamen- 
tal changes suggested. The system of fixed and pre-arranged 
observations was maintained not to be generally suitable to the 
inquiring into phenomena so singularly variable as those of 
the atmosphere. These views were supported by arguments 
drawn from considering the nature of other sciences which 
have for their subject matter the investigation of rapidly chang- 
ing phenomena, as well as by reference to the comparative 
absence of any important results deduced from the pre-ordained 
system of observations for the true science of meteorology. 
The nearly similar views put forward by MM. Biot and 
Regnault at some of the recent meetings of the French Aca- 
demy of Sciences were also occasionally referred to. 
‘* While thus pointing out the comparative barrenness in 
general meteorological results of the system of inquiry so gene- 
rally adopted, Mr. Hennessy fully acknowledged the value of 
the facts which have been acquired for the science of Climato- 
logy ; and how by advancing that science they may even indi- 
rectly contribute to our knowledge of the laws of meteorology. 
The second part of Mr. Hennessy’s paper was occupied with a 
theory of insular climate and its application to Ireland. It 
was shown that in general the isothermal lines in an island 
surrounded by an ocean of a higher temperature than the air 
over the land would have some relation to the coast line, and 
might even in many instances be irregular closed curves. The 
influence of the differences of latitude of the parts of the island 
on these curves would be to transport their centres towards 
