158 



agree with that given in the Mecanique Celeste. According to the ex- 

 pression of Laplace the body might take a motion of translation : to 

 this objections were formerly made by Dr. Young, and it will be noticed 

 with interest that these objections are now confirmed by M. Poisson. 

 The Council have awarded the Medal to the author, in order to testify 

 the high sense which they entertain of the importance of the researches 

 contained in the work in question. 



The Society next proceeded to the election of the Council and 

 Officers for the ensuing year, when the following was declared to be 

 the list: — 



President : His Royal Highness the Dnke of Sussex, K.G. — 

 Treasurer: John William Lubbock, Esq. M.A. — Secretaries : Peter 

 Mark Roget, M.D., John George Children, Esq. — Foreign Secretary : 

 Charles Konig, Esq. 



Other Members of the Council : Francis Baily, Esq. ; Captain 

 Francis Beaufort, R.N. ; Mark Isambard Brunei," Esq.; Rev. Wil- 

 liam Buckland, D.D. ; Samuel Hunter Christie, Esq. MA,; William 

 Clift, Esq. ; Rev. James Cumming, M.A. ; Benjamin Gompertz, 

 Esq. ; Joseph Henry Green, Esq. ; George Bellas Greenough, Esq. ; 

 William George Maton, M.D. ; Roderick Impey Murchison, Esq.; 

 William Hasledine Pepys, Esq.; Stephen Peter Rigaud, Esq. M.A. ; 

 Rev. Richard Sheepshanks, M.A. ; Rev. William Whewell, M.A. 



December 6, 1832. 



WILLIAM GEORGE MATON, M.D., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Decimus Burton, Esq.; Charles Purton Cooper, Esq. LL.D. ; and 

 Edward Ayshford Sanford, Esq. M.P.; were elected Fellows of the 

 Society. 



December 13, 1832. 



JOHN WILLIAM LUBBOCK, Esq. M.A., VP. and Treasurer, 



in the Chair. 



A paper was read, entitled, " On the extensive atmosphere of Mars." 

 In a Letter to His Royal Highness the President. Bv Sir James 

 South, Knt. F.R.S. 



In this paper the author gives an account of a further observation 

 which corroborates the conclusion he had stated in a former commu- 

 nication " On the extensive atmosphere of Mars," namely, that no 

 indication now existed of any atmosphere being attached to that 

 planet. A star retained its light blue colour, and its full brilliancy 

 and comparative steadiness till the very instant of its occultation by 

 Mars. At its emersion it was seen nearly dichotomised. The author 

 concludes, that either some physical change has occurred in the 

 atmosphere of that planet, or that the observations of Cassini and of 

 Roemer were inaccurate. 



