Minutes of Proceedings. ix 



oil, and Dr. Marloth explained that tiiis might be the case to a certaia 

 limited extent but he had no actual experience of such changes. 



Prof. MacOwan gave an account of the brandy distilled by Messrs. 

 Parkes Brothers of Wheatlands in the Graaff-Reinet district. He 

 thought it probable that the new oak casks in which the brandy was 

 put absorbed some of the alcohol of the amyl series, and thus improved 

 its quality. 



The Rev. G. H. R. Fisk referred to the connection of the low- 

 class brandies fv^ith the prevalen-ce of crime, and thought the Legis- 

 lature should take steps in the direction pointed out by Dr. Marloth. 



A vote of thanks was then conveyed to the latter gentleman for his 

 interesting paper. 



Ordinary Monthly Meeting. 



Wednesday, July 27, 1887. 

 Mr. H. Bolus, F.L.S., President, in the Chair. 



The following books were announced as having been presented to 

 the Society and the thanks of the Sosiety were voted to the donors : 

 Journal of the Cincinnati Society of Natural History, Vol. X., 2. 

 Meteorologische Beobachtungen am Met. Obs. der Landwirtschaf t- 



lichen Akademie bei Moskau. 

 Bulletin de la Societe Imperiale des Naturalistes de Moscou, 

 1886 No. 4 and 1887 No. 1. 

 Dr. J. A. Ross was elected an ordinary member of the Society. 

 Dr. Gill read his lecture on " The Applications of Photography in 

 Astronomy." In the course of it he gave an account of the proceed- 

 ings of the Photographic Conference held at Paris in April last, and 

 the resolutions passed by the large body of astronomers there assem- 

 bled with reference to the construction of Stellar Charts. 



The Hon. C. A. Smith remarked that a wide field for investigation 

 was opened with respect to the photographic magnitudes of stars as 

 compared with telescopic magnitudes ; and that it would be interesting 

 to take a photograph of the Coal-sack with very long exposure. 



Dr. Atherstone called attention to the date as being the Jubilee 

 of Telegraphy. Fifty years ago he was present at the Academy of 

 Sciences, Paris, when Daguerre brought forward his discoveries in 

 Photography, and Morse his Telegraphic system. 

 A vote of thanks to Dr. Gill closed the proceedings. 



