1839.] 



Sir J. Herschel on Halle ys Comet. 



437 



That Sir John Robison (Secretary), and Mr. J. S. Russell, and Mr. 

 James Smith be a Committee for instituting Experiments on the Forms 

 of Vessels, with 200/. at their disposal. 



Researches not involving Grants of Money or application to Government. 



The Meteorological Committee was requested to furnish a System of 

 Meteorological Instructions for the next meeting of the Association. 



A Committee was formed, consisting of Mr. Greenough, Mr. De la 

 Beche, Mr. Buddie, and Mr. Griffith, to draw up a proper form and scale 

 of the Sections to be sent to the Geological Society by the engineers and 

 proprietors of railways. 



The following gentlemen were appointed a Committee to investigate 

 the Salmonid.ee of Scotland, and directed to place themselves in commu- 

 nication with Mr. Shaw, who has offered to submit his experiments on 

 that subject to their inspection: Mr. Selby, Dr. Parnell, Mr. J. S. Men- 

 teith, Professor R. Jones, Dr. Neill, Sir W. Jardine, Bart., Secretary. 



The following gentlemen were appointed members of a Committee con- 

 stituted for the purpose of investigating the Insects of the genera 

 Eriosoma and Jphis, which attack the Pines of this country ; Mr. 

 Spence, F. R. S., R. K* Greville, LL. D., .Sir W. Jardine, Bart., Mr. 

 Selby, Secretary. 



The Committee on Diseases of the Lungs in Animals was reappointed. 



The Committee for obtaining a complete account of the Fauna of 

 Ireland was altered so as to consist of Capt. Portlock, Mr. R. Ball, Mr. 

 W. Thompson, Mr. Vigors, Mr. Halliday, and Dr. Coulter, who was re- 

 quested to act as Secretary. — Reports, vol. 7. 



On Halleys Comet. By Sir John F. W. Heeschel, Bart. F.R S., frc. 



" One of the most interesting series of observations of a miscellaneous 

 kind I had to make at the Cape of Good Hope, was that of Hal ley's 

 comet.— I saw the comet for the first time after its perihelion passage 

 on the night of the 25th of January. Mr. Maclear saw it on the 24th. 

 From this time we both observed it regularly. lis appearance was that 

 of a round, well-defined disk, having near its centre a very small bright 

 object exactly like a small comet, and surrounded by a f.iint nebula. 

 This nebula in two or three more nights was absorbed into the disc, 

 and disappeared entirely. Meanwhile, the disc itself dilated with ex- 



