105 
The Chairman considered that the establishment of astro- 
nomical observations, in localities enjoying a clearer atmosphere 
than ours, would be a very useful measure on the part of 
government, but Mr. Binney thought that individuals ought 
not to be deterred from observing by the obstacles presented 
by the murkiness of our atmosphere. 
Mr. Curtis presented a statement of the fall of rain during 
the year 1858, as observed by his son in the neighbourhood of 
Manchester. It appeared that the amount of rain last year 
was 30.53 inches, whereas in 1857 it was 31.94, and the 
average for the last 64 years was 35.562. November was an 
unusually dry month, there having been only 1.39 inches, 
whereas the average for that month was 3.56 inches. 
A paper was read by Mr. Thomas Carrick, “ On some 
Indications of law in the Grouping of Unexplained Cosmical 
Phenomena.” 
The aim of the Author was to shew that if the rotation of 
the heavenly bodies is assumed — for the purpose of enquiry — 
to have inseparable relation to their orbit motions, the unex- 
plained cosmical phenomena, when analysed with reference to 
rotation planes, as well as orbit planes, present marked evidence 
of systematic distribution, indicating the presence and action 
of causal law. 
The planes of the solar equator, the sun’s orbit in space, and 
the milky way are considered essential bases of such an analysis. 
In the absence of the sun’s orbit plane the analysis is necessarily 
imperfect. The two known planes intersect each other at two 
points, nearly coinciding with 265° and 85° heliocentric longi- 
tude. 
These intersections of the milky way and solar equator 
planes, are adopted as grouping points. 
The ascending nodes of five planets, when taken on the solar 
equator, are concentrated within an arc of 8°, covering the 
grouping point at 265° ; and two more lie at a short distance 
therefrom. 
