Minutes of Proceedings. v 



for the next 6^ hours, when it begins to return to its normal magni- 

 tude. Mr. Eoberts investigates the form of the light curve, and con- 

 cludes that S. Velorum is a binary star, the central star being large 

 and faint, the smaller but fainter companion revolving round it. 

 The third portion of the paper refers to a graphical method of 

 determining the orbit of an Algol variable. 



Dr. Gill remarked on the excellent work done by Mr. Eoberts, 

 with simple and inexpensive means, in the field of the discovery 

 and observation of variable stars, and by his skill and perseverance 

 he had become the first authority on variable stars in the Southern 

 Hemisphere. 



Mr. Eaffray read some notes on blind and partially blind insects 

 found in South Africa. The statement made that no such insects 

 had been discovered here was an erroneous one, and he exhibited 

 microscopical slides showing the total absence of eye and the partial 

 obliteration of this organ in two examples of Coleoptera he had cap- 

 tured in the neighbourhood of Cape Town. Neither of the two 

 insects exhibited were inhabitants of caves, nor did it follow that 

 cave-inhabiting insects or arachnids were necessarily blind. 



Ordinary Monthly Meeting. 

 Wednesday, November 27, 1895. 

 Mr. T. Mum, LL.D., M.A., F.E.S. Edin., President, in the Chair. 



Messrs. J. W. Crowhurst, F. Purcell, and W. Stoney were 

 elected ordinary members of the Society. 



The undermentioned presents were announced, and the thanks of 

 the Society voted to the donors : 



Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, No. 147. 



The American Anthropologist, Vol. VIII., No. 3. 



Bulletin du Museum d'Histoire Naturelle, 1895, No. 6. 



Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Vol. IV., Part 2. 



Memoires de l'x\cademie Imperiale des Sciences de St. Petersbourg, 

 Serie 8, Vol. I., Nos. 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7. 



Paper of the South African Geological Society, Nov. 11, 1895. 



Journal and Proceedings of the Hamilton Association, No. 11. 



Maps of the Geological Survey of Canada. 



Feuille des Jeunes Naturalistes, No. 301. 



Annalen des K. K. Naturhistorischen Hofmuseums Wien, Meteor- 

 eisen Studien, IV., Von E. Cohen. 



