Royal Astronomical Society. 309 



gic processes obtained from the furnace and the laboratory, with a 

 collection of Models of the most improved machinery, chiefly em- 

 ployed in mining. A well-stored Laboratory is attached to this 

 department, conducted by the distinguished analytical chemist, 

 Mr. Richard Phillips, whose duty it already is, at a fixed and mo- 

 derate charge, to conduct the analysis of metallic ores, and other 

 minerals and soils submitted to him by the owners of mines or pro- 

 prietors of land, who may wish for authentic information upon 

 such matters. 



The pupils in this laboratory are already actively employed in 

 learning the arts of mineral analysis, and the various metallurgic 

 processes. 



A second department in the (Economic Museum will be assigned 

 to the promotion of improvements in Agriculture, and will contain 

 sections of strata, with specimens of soils, sub-soils, and of the 

 rocks from the decomposition of which they have been produced. 



To this last-mentioned collection proprietors of land are solicited 

 to contribute from their estates labelled examples of soils, with 

 their respective sub-soils ; and all persons who wish for an analysis 

 of any sterile soil, for the purpose of giving it fertility, by the arti- 

 ficial addition of ingredients with which nature had not supplied 

 it, may here obtain, at a moderate cost, an exact knowledge of its 

 composition, which may point out the corrective additions which it 

 requires. This portion of the Museum will more especially exhibit 

 the relations of geology to agriculture, in so far as a knowledge of 

 the materials composing the sub-strata may afford extensive means 

 of permanent improvement to the surface, 

 [To be continued.] 



ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY. 

 [Continued from vol. xvi. p. 148.] 



Jan. 10, 1840. — The following communications were read: — 



Ephemeris of the Comet now visible. By Mr. C. Rumker, of 

 Hamburg. Communicated by Dr. Lee. 



A Letter from Mr. Henry Lawson to the Secretary describing the 

 appearance of the Comet, as seen at Hereford. 



The comet was observed by Mr. Lawson on the mornings of the 

 23d and 29th of December, and of the 8th January instant. It had 

 a tolerably well-defined nucleus, with a brushy tail on the side op- 

 posite to the sun. The nucleus subtended an angle nearly equal to 

 half the visual angle subtended by Jupiter ; and the tail filled the 

 whole field of view, the diameter of which was three minutes of time. 



Apparent Positions of the Comet observed at Edinburgh. By Pro- 

 fessor Henderson. 



Observations of the Comet made at Ashurst and Dulwich. By 

 Robert Snow, Esq. 



Mr. Snow found the comet on the 28th of December. The ob- 

 served diameter of the head was then 58", and the tail extended 

 beyond the field of view. It was again observed on the 29th, and 



