105 



a portion of the heat is polarized, when the axes of the crystals are 

 at right angles to each other ; and these results were confirmed by 

 M. Melloni. 



But Professor Forbes did not allow the polarization of heat to 

 rest solely upon the results obtained with tourmaline. By employ- 

 ing bundles of plates of mica, and adjusting them at proper angles, 

 he not only obtained much more decisive results, particularly with 

 heat from a non-luminous source, but such results as go to esta- 

 blish the singular fact, that the degree of the polarization of heat is 

 dependent on the nature of its source. He has further shown the 

 depolarization of heat by the interposition of a mica plate, and its 

 circular polarization by means of two total internal reflections in 

 an interposed rhomb, or two prisms of rock-salt. 



The Council consider that they cannot better testify their estima- 

 tion of the discoveries and experimental investigations of Professor 

 Forbes, than by awarding to him a Medal, bequeathed by its distin- 

 guished founder, as a premium to the author of discoveries tending 

 to improve the theories of heat and light. 



The Statutes relating to the Election of Council and Officers 

 having been read from the Chair, and the Rev. P. Jennings, D.D., 

 and Joseph Smith, Esq., having, with the consent of the Society, 

 been nominated Scrutators, to assist the Secretaries in examining 

 the lists, the votes of the Fellows present were collected. 



The Scrutators reported the result of the ballot to be as follows : 



President. — The Marquis of Northampton. 

 Treasurer. — John William Lubbock, Esq., ^I.A., V.P. 

 Secretaries. — Peter Mark Roget, M.D. ; Samuel Hunter Christie, 



Esq., M.A. 



Foreign Secretary. — William Henry Smyth, Capt. R.N. 

 Other Members of the Council. — H.R.H. the Duke of Sussex, K.G., 

 V.P. ; Francis Baily, Esq., V.P.; John George Children, Esq., 

 V.P. ; John Frederic Daniell, Esq. ; C. G. B. Daubeny, M.D. ; 

 Thomas Galloway, Esq., M.A. ; Thomas Graham, Esq. ; Sir John 

 F. W. Herschel, Bart., M.A., V.P. ; Francis Kiernan, Esq. ; 

 George Rennie, Esq. ; John Forbes Royle, M.D., V.P. ; Rev. 

 Adam Sedgwick, M.A. ; Robert Bentley Todd, M.D. ; Charles 

 Wheatstone, Esq. ; Rev. William Whewell, M.A. ; Rev. Robert 

 Willis, M.A. 



Whereupon the above-named gentlemen were declared duly 

 elected ; and thanks were voted to the Scrutators for their trouble 

 on this occasion. 



