1898 - 99 .] 
Meetings of the Society. 
731 
and number of oscillations, was much more fully verified, and a 
relation was found to exist between two of the parameters under 
varied conditions of fatigue of the wire and initial ranges of 
oscillation. In the third paper ( Transactions , vol. xxxix., 1898), 
the law of change of the parameters was further investigated, and 
an important common feature holding throughout the whole series 
of experiments was brought to light, indicating the existence of an 
absolute constant, probably characteristic of the material composing 
the oscillating wire. By a neat piece of statistical mathematics, 
Dr Peddie showed how not only the phenomena of torsional 
oscillations, but also other known phenomena, such as deviation 
from Hooke’s Law and the relation between torsion and set, could 
be deduced theoretically as illustrative of Maxwell’s views of the 
constitution of a molecular solid. In its application to vibrations 
this theoretical investigation required the time of outward swing 
through a given range to be less than the time of inward swing — 
the experimental verification of which was one of the new results 
contained in the paper. 
In another contribution to the Transactions of the Society, Dr 
Peddie gave a very thorough investigation into an apparently unique 
case of colour-blindness. It was a case of what is termed yellow- 
blue or violet-blindness, but it differed from known examples of such 
cases in the total absence of appreciation of green, and in the fact 
that the visible spectrum suffered no shortening at the violet end. 
Among other papers communicated to the Society and published 
in the Proceedings , the one on the Law of Transformation of 
Energy and its Applications calls for more than passing notice. In 
it various known expressions connecting physical quantities are 
deduced by simple reasoning based upon generalised Carnot’s cycles 
— the usual methods of derivation of these results employing 
processes of higher mathematics. 
The Neill Prize for the period 1895-98 was presented to 
Professor Cossar Ewart, for his recent investigations connected 
with Telegony. 
Sir John Murray read the following statement as to the reasons 
for the award : — 
The Council have awarded the Neill prize to Professor Cossar 
