HISl'ORr of the SOCIEtr. 29 



College by the Magiflrates and Town-Council of Aberdeen. 

 The building confifled of three rooms, two of which, forming 

 the wings, were circular, about 12 feet in diameter, with co- 

 nical roofs. The eaftermoft of thefe was for the quadrant, and 

 had its roof moveable, and furnilhed with flits ; the weftern 

 was the tranfit room ; its roof had flits, but was not moveable ; 

 the room in the middle ferved for th.e accommodation of the 

 aftronomer. 



The inftruments, with which the Obfervatory was furnifh- 

 nilhed, were a tranlit inflrument by Ramsden ; a moveable 

 aftronomical quadrant, of 2 foot radius, by Mac ulloch ; an 

 equatorial inflrument by Sisson and Ramsden ; an achroma- 

 tic telefcope and a divided objedl glafs micrometer by DoL- 

 LOND ; an aftronomical clock, with a gridiron pendulum, by 

 Mariotte. To thefe were added an afTiftant clock by Gadby, 

 Aberdeen ; an alarm clock ; a barometer and thermometer, the 

 two laft by Miller, Edinburgh. 



The tranfit inftriunent, and the equatorial, were prefents- 

 from the late Earl of Bute, at that time Chancellor of the 

 Univerfity. They are both inftruments of great value ; the 

 tranfit, in particular, is faid to be of lingular excellence, and 

 altogether worthy of the great artift by whom it was conflrudl- 

 ed; 



The Obfervatory, however, fiich as it is here defcribed, has 

 been but of fliort continuance. About three years ago bar- 

 racks were built on the Caftle Hill, immediately to the north 

 of the Obfervatory ; and as it appeared to be of confequence, 

 that the ground occupied by the latter fhould belong to the bar- 

 racks, it was purchafed by Government, and the Obfervatory 

 demolifhed. It is to be rebuilt, however, on an improved plan, 

 and in a fituation where it will be lefs incommoded by the vi- 

 cinity of the town than formerly, and where, it is hoped, the 



feries 



