150 
PHYSICAL AND MATHEMATICAL SECTION, 
October 10th, 1861, 
G. Y. Vernon, Esq., F.R.A.S., was elected a Member of 
the Section. 
A letter from Mr. Heelis, F.R.A.S., having been read, 
resigning the Secretaryship of the Section on account of the 
state of his health, it was resolved unanimously, — That the 
Section receive with regret the resignation, by Mr. Heelis, of 
his office as Secretary, and sincerely hope that his health 
may soon allow of his resumption of official connection with 
them. 
Mr. Vernon, F.R.A.S., read a Paper, “On the Irregular 
Barometric Oscillations at Geneva and on Great St. Bernard, 
and their Relations to Mean Temperature and the Fall of 
Rain.” [This Paper was afterwards read at the Ordinary 
Meeting of the Society, held on October 15th, 1861. See 
Proceedings No. 2, Session 1861-2.] 
November 7th, 1861. 
Professor Clifton, B.A., F.R.A.S., was elected Secretary of 
the Section, in place of Mr. Heelis, resigned. 
A letter from Mr. Heelis, F.R.A.S., was read, commu- 
nicating the following observation of the Zodiacal Light, 
recently made by him at Smyrna. “September 13th, 1861, 
4h. a.m. Observed the Zodiacal light very distinctly ; the 
breadth of it was not observed, but the position of the apex 
was ascertained, as carefully as an eye unaccustomed to such 
observations would permit, to be in a line and about midway 
between Pollux and Procyon. This would give an approxi- 
mate length of 75° IP. The cluster Prsesepe ivas seen 
distinctly through the light shining like a white cloud, and 
