CONTENTS. 
PAGE 
Election of Office-Bearers, . . . . . .1 
President’s Address, . . . . . . .2 
Dr Guebhard’s Electro-Chemical Method of Figuring Equipotential 
Lines. By Kev. Dr W. R. Smith, . . . . .7 
Message from the Nautical Almanac Office, in reference to the Transit 
of Venus, December 6, 1882, Communicated by the Astronomer- 
Royal, . . . ... . . .7 
On the Laws of Motion. Part I. By Professor Tait, . . 8 
On Illegitimacy in Scotland. By George Seton, M.A., Oxon, . 18 
On the Absorption of Low Radiant Heat by Gaseous Bodies. By 
Professor MacGregor, . . . . . .24 
Note on the Compressibility of Water. By Professor Tait, . . 45 
Note on an Application of Mendeleieff’s Law to the Heats of Combin- 
ation of the Elements with the Halogens. By Mr A. P. Laurie. 
Communicated by Professor Crum Brown, . . .46 
The Diurnal Variation of the Force of the Wind in the Open Sea 
and near Land. By Alexander Buchan, M.A., . . .47 
On the Semitic and Greek Article. By the Rev. Dr Teape, . 47 
On the Nature of Solution. By W. W. Nicol, M.A., B.Sc., . ' .47 
On the Relative Electro-Chemical Positions of Wrought Iron, Steels, 
Cast Metal, &c., in Sea Water and other Solutions. By Thomas 
Andrews, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., F.C.S. Communicated by Prof. 
Crum Brown, . . . . . . ,47 
Observations of the Rainband from June 1882 to January 1883. By 
Hugh Robert Mill, B.Sc., F.C.S. Communicated by Professor 
Tait. (Plate I.), . . . . . . .47 
The Theory of Monopressures applied to Rhythm, Accent, and 
Quantity. By the Rev. J. L. Blake. Communicated by Prof. 
Crum Brown, . . . . . . .56 
On the Effect of Oil on a Stormy Sea. By Mr John Aitken, . 56 
Communication from the Astronomer-Royal for Scotland. Read by 
Professor Tait, . . . . . . .75 
Diagnoses plantarum novarum Phanerogamarum Socotrensium, etc. ; 
quas elaboravit Bayley Balfour, Scientiae Doctor et in Universitate 
Glascuensi rerum botanicarum regius professor. Pars Tertia, . 76 
On Scientific Method in the Study of Language. By Emeritus Prof. 
Blackie, . . . . . . . .98 
Further Remarks on the Mirage Problem. By Professor Tait, , 98 
