42 



A nniversary Meeting. 



[Nov. 30, 



his almost instinctive sagacity, that the phenomena of conical refrac- 

 tion were first made visible to human eye. In magnetism he assisted 

 in the formation of the great survey of the globe, initiated by Sir 

 E. Sabine, and as director of a magnetic observatory in Dublin he 

 made valuable contributions to the subject. His scientific remains, 

 brought together in one volume, have been a welcome addition to the 

 library both of the mathematician and of the experimentalist. His 

 interest in science and in its promoters was active throughout his long 

 life ; and those on whom the honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred 

 at the late meeting of the British Association in Dublin, will always 

 cherish as a pleasant reminiscence the fact of having received it at bis 

 hands. 



Dr. Bigsby was one of the earlier cultivators of Geology. Some of 

 his first studies were made at a time when the subject was hardly a 

 science ; but in attaining the advanced age of eighty-nine he lived to 

 see it what it has since become. He founded a medal at the Geological 

 Society, of which he was for many years a member. 



We are again reminded of the progress which has been made in 

 science, and in the cultivation of it during the present generation by 

 the fact that until the last day of last year we could reckon among our 

 Fellows Dr. John Stenhouse, one of the surviving founders of the 

 Chemical Society. 



On the subject of our property there is little change to report. 

 Further investments have been made in due course on account of the 

 Fees Reduction Fund. The sale of the Acton estate has not yet been 

 completed, but a deposit is in hand, and a half-year's interest on the 

 balance has been received. 



The Charitable Trusts Bill, which was introduced into Parliament 

 last session, and which would have affected our interests had it not been 

 for a clause introduced by our Fellow the Marquis of Salisbury, specially 

 exempting the Royal Society from its operation, was withdrawn. 



The collection of portraits in the possession of the Society has been 

 enriched by the addition of a portrait of Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, 

 painted by John Collier, Esq., at the expense of a considerable number 

 of our Fellows, who were desirous of expressing their sense of the im- 

 portant services rendered by Sir Joseph to the Society, and at the 

 same time of securing a permanent memorial of their late President. 

 It is to be hoped that advantage may be taken of any suitable occa- 

 sions that may arise from time to time of adding to our gallery of 

 historical records of the great men whom we have reckoned among 

 our Fellows. 



The Fellows will learn with satisfaction that the first part of the 

 new edition of our library catalogue is published. This part, consist- 

 ing of 232 pages, contains the Transactions, Proceedings, and Journals 

 published by Societies and Institutions in nearly all parts of the world ; 



