PROCEEDINGS 
OF TIIE 
ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH, 
SESSION 1886-87. 
iQ 
CONTENTS. 
(Mndral Statutory Meeting , Monday, 22ncl November 1886. 
Election of Office-Bearers, ..... 
PAGE 
1 
Monday, 6th December 1886. 
Chairman’s Opening Address, ....... 2 
Astronomical Tables for facilitating the Computation of Differential Refraction, 
for Latitudes 56° and 57 o, 30. By the Hon. Lord McLaren, . . 21 
On the Foundations of the Kinetic Theory of Gases. Part II. By Professor 
Tait, .......... 21 
Fog Bow observed on Ben Nevis, 22 nd October 1886. By R. T. Omond, Esq., 
Supt. B.N.O., 24 
Temperatures at Different Heights above Ground at Ben Nevis Observatory. 
By R. T. Omond, Esq., Supt. B.N.O., ..... 24 
Monday , 20 tli December 1886. 
Motion of Compound Bodies through Liquid. By the Rev. H. J. Sharpe, 
M.A. Communicated by the President, . . . . .29 
Note on Knots on Endless Cords. By A. B. Kempe, Esq. Communicated by 
Professor Tait. (Plate I.), ....... 36 
On the Ring-Waves produced bv throwing a Stone into Water. Bv Sir W. 
Thomson, ......... 37 
On the Waves produced by a Ship advancing uniformly into Smooth Water. 
• By Sir W. Thomson, ........ 37 
Expansion of Functions in terms of Linear, Cylindric, Spherical, &c., Functions. 
By P. Alexander, Esq., M.A. Communicated by Dr T. Muir, . . 37 
On Even Distribution of Points in Space. By Professor Tait, . . .37 
Friday, 7th January 1887. 
Address on Processes of Refrigeration. By J. J. Coleman, Esq., . . 38 
On the Front and Rear of a Free Procession of Waves in Deep Water. By Sir 
W. Thomson, ......... 38 
Numerical and other Additions to his Paper, read on 6 th December 1886, on the 
Foundations of the Kinetic Theory of Gases. By Professor Tait, . . 46 
Intimation of an Improvement in Rankine’s Formula for Retaining Walls. 
Given by Professor Armstrong on behalf of A. C. Elliott, Esq., . . 48 
Monday, 17th January 1887. 
The Total Rainfall on the Land of the Globe, and its Relation to the Discharge 
of Rivers. By J. Murray, Esq., Ph.D., V.P., . . . . .48 
Chemical Affinity and Solution. By W. Durham, Esq., . .48 
Thermometer Screens. Part IV. By John Aitken, Esq. (Plates II., III., IV.), 53 
On the General Effects of Molecular Attraction of Small Range on the Behaviour 
of a Group of Smooth Impinging Spheres. By Professor Tait, . , 85 
Monday, 31s£ January 1887. 
On a New Formula for the Pressure of Earth against a Retaining Wall. By A. 
C. Elliott, Esq., B.Sc., C.E. Communicated by Professor Armstrong, . 85 
The Conducting Paths between the Cortex of the Cerebrum and the Lower 
Centres, in relation to their Function. By Professor D. J. Hamilton, . 97 
Researches on Micro-Organisms, including ideas of a New Method for their 
Destruction in Certain Cases of Contagious Disease. By Dr A. B. 
Griffiths, F.R.S. (Edin.), ....... 97 
On the Conducting Paths between the Cortex of the Brain and the Lower Centres 
in relation to Physiology and Pathology. By D. J. Hamilton, M.B., 
F.R.C.S. Edin., F.R.S.E., Professor of Pathology, University of Aberdeen. 
(Plates XIV., XV.), . . . . . . . 97,519 
