1902 - 3 .] 
Meetings of the Society. 
601 
During last session a volume of the Ben Nevis Observations 
has been issued, forming vol. 42 of our Transactions. This is 
the first of the three volumes, towards the expense of which 
the Boyal Society of London contributes £500, being one-half 
of their estimated cost, and it contains observations for the five 
years 1888 to 1892 inclusive, along with an appendix contain- 
ing brief summaries of what has already been done in discussing 
the Ben Nevis records. It will be remembered that this Society 
has already published, in vol. 34 of the Transactions , the obser- 
vations for the four years preceding this. 
The Directors of the Ben Nevis Observatories announced in 
July that they did not intend to carry on the Observatories after 
October of this year, but in view of a promised parliamentary 
inquiry into the meteorological services of the country, and the 
■desire for their continuance expressed by many Members of 
Parliament and other persons interested in meteorology, they have 
consented to continue the work at the Observatories for another 
year, that is, till October 1 903. The Directors have been enabled 
to do this by a continuance of the present grants from the 
Meteorological Council and by several handsome private donations. 
It is to be hoped that by this time next year the continuance 
of the Observatories will be assured, and such a valuable meteor- 
ological asset as the two Observatories will not be lost to 
science. 
During the year the Society received a valuable gift, from Mrs 
Tait and family, of over one hundred books from the library of 
the late Professor Tait. A detailed list of the books will be 
found in vol. xxiii. of the Proceedings, page 482. These volumes 
are kept in a special case, separate from other works in the 
Society’s library, and form an interesting memorial of our late 
■Secretary. 
In March of this year, Mr James Gordon, owing to advancing 
years, tendered his resignation of the position of Librarian to the 
Society, which he had held for so many years, with such advantage 
to the Society, alike from his unfailing and fine courtesy of 
manner to its members, as from his attainments in the know- 
ledge of the classical and modern languages. The Council re- 
luctantly accepted Mr Gordon’s resignation, regarding with deep 
PEOC. EOY. SOC. EDIN. — VOL. XXIV. 39 
