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XL VI. Proceedings of Learned Societies. 



ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY. 



April 7. — HPHE following communications were read: — l.Obser- 

 A vations of the Planets made at the Imperial Obser- 

 vatory of Vienna, in the year 1828, by J. J. Littrow. 



2. Observations of Occultations of Stars by the Moon, at Mr. 

 South's Observatory, Kensington. 



3. Extract of a letter from Charles Perkins, Esq. to the 

 President : — 

 " I observed most of the occultations last night (March 28). My 

 friend Mr. Holland was with me, and we both considered the stars 

 99 Tauri, and Piazzi IV. 102, to have been visible on the moon's disc. 

 Each observer used a 42-inch achromatic with 2| aperture, mine 

 with a power of 120, and Mr. Holland tried one of his own eye- 

 pieces, the power of which he estimated at 336. With this he ob- 

 served the star distinctly, and the moon's dark limb well defined." 



4. On a method of ascertaining any inaccuracy in the formation 

 of the Pivots of Transit Instruments, &c, or any subsequent de- 

 rangement in their shape. By Lieut. Peter Lecount, R.N. 



5. " Fourth Series of Observations with a 20-feet Reflector, con- 

 taining the mean places and other particulars of 1236 Double Stars,, 

 as determined at Slough in the years 1828 and 1829 with that in- 

 strument (the greater part of them not previously described). By 

 J. F. W. Herschel, Esq." 



GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



A numerous Meeting of the Members of the Raleigh Travellers' 

 Club, and other gentlemen, was held at the Thatched House, on 

 Monday, the 24th of May, John Barrow, Esq., in the Chair ; when 

 it was submitted, — That, among the numerous literary and scientific 

 societies established in the British metropolis, one was still wanting to 

 complete the circle of scientific institutions, whose sole object should 

 be the promotion and diffusion of that most important, useful, and 

 entertaining branch of knowledge, Geography. 



That a new and useful Society might therefore be formed, under 

 the name of "The Geographical Society of London." 



That the interest excited by this department of science is univer- 

 sally felt j that its advantages are of the first importance to mankind 

 in generul, and paramount to the welfare of a maritime nation, like 

 Great Britain, with its numerous and extensive foreign possessions. 



That its decided utility in conferring just and distinct notions of 

 the physical and political relations of our globe must be obvious to 

 every one ; and is the more enhanced by this species of knowledge 

 being attainable without much difficulty, while at the same time it 

 affords a copious source of rational amusement. 



That although there is a vast store of geographical information ex- 

 isting in Great Britain, yet it is so scattered and dispersed, either in 

 large books that are not generally accessible, or in the bureaus of the 



public 



