3 
1856—57, in which the mathematician cannot fail to recognise the 
acute scrutiny, by Mr Boole, of the Application of the Theory of Pro- 
babilities to the question of the Combination of Testimonies or Judg- 
ments ; or the mechanical philosopher to welcome the contributions 
of Mr Clerk Maxwell to the Theory of Rotation ; or the chemist to 
admire the continuation of Dr Anderson’s Analysis of the Products 
of the Destructive Distillation of Animal Matters ; or the naturalist 
to wonder at the strange and overwhelming variety of forms of micro- 
scopic life, to the unfolding of which so much has been contributed 
by Dr Gregory’s elaborate paper on the Diatomacese ; or the phy- 
siologist to applaud and encourage the ingenuity with which a new 
and promising inquirer, Mr Lister, has successfully investigated the 
Minute Structure of Involuntary Muscular Fibre. 
Nor has the Society neglected other branches of its vocation. I 
may, in particular, call your attention to what has been done by your 
Council towards completing the publication of the u Makerstoun 
Magnetical and Meteorological Observations.” These Observations 
have been already published down to the year 1846, in three extra 
volumes of the Society’s Transactions ; but as the observations have 
been continued since that time almost to the present day, — not, in- 
deed, in such number as previously, but with care and regularity, by 
the direction of our President, Sir T. M. Brisbane, — it was thought 
that benefit would accrue to science by continuing the reduction and 
publication of them. This it has been resolved to carry through on 
a somewhat abridged plan ; towards which object the President has 
munificently contributed L.200, and the Council, on behalf of the 
Society, has added an equal sum. Mr Welsh of the Kew Observa- 
tory, who was himself observer at Makerstoun for a few years, has 
favoured the Council by superintending the reductions, which are now 
in progress. 
During the past year the Librarian and Council have continued 
their exertions to bring the Library into a satisfactory and easily 
accessible condition. Of the sum of L.300 voted by the Society for 
the purpose, only a small proportion has been expended in the pur- 
chase of a few new works, — works, however, of much interest and 
value. The greater part of the vote has been applied to completing 
and binding many previously incomplete works, and in adding to the 
truly valuable Collection of Maps, which was prominently noticed in 
the introductory Address of’ Bishop Terrot last year, as having been 
