COUNCIL FOR 1896 . 
XV. 
of self-registering instruments are not very satisfactory. This 
year they indicate a lapse of about 18 hours between the up¬ 
river records and highest flood at York. Combining the results 
for the two years, it would seem to require 22 hours for the 
floods to come down from Pateley Bridge (7 observations), 20 
from Middleham (28 observations), and 21 from Richmond 
(10 observations). 
Auroras were noted on twelve nights, against 23 in 1895, 
and 34 in 1894. The monthly distribution was 4, 0, 2, 2, 2 
from January to May, 1 in October, and 1 in November. 
None were particularly bright, but streamers were noted on 
March 4th, and May 2nd and 3rd. 
Under advice from the Meteorological Office the rain gauges 
and screen were removed in September, 1895, from the position 
before the Multangular Tower to the open ground North of St. 
Mary’s Abbey. With the close of the year a second screen 
was occupied, as a single screen was judged to be too crowded 
for the double set of instruments. The occasional difference 
between the maximum thermometers may be thus accounted 
for, as the one read at 9 am. was placed too high up. 
We must further report an unfortunate case of wanton 
mischief. In January of this year, 1897, the lock of the old 
screen was wrenched off and one of the costly thermometers 
removed. 
We have pleasure in again acknowledging the returns from 
different gentlemen, entered under their names in our tables. 
Photographic Section. — The Monthly meetings have 
been regularly held, and much interesting material has been 
brought forward. Several causes have tended to interfere with 
large attendances. Thus members, as they have become 
proficient, have been led to undertake lectures, illustrated by 
slides of their own making, and have delivered them before the 
Society at large instead of the smaller audience of the Section ; 
the public also takes more interest in Photography than 
formerly, and at least one highly technical lecture, which 
would have more strictly come before the Section, was listened 
to with intense interest by a large general audience. Photo¬ 
graphy also, like microscopy, is now such a recognised part of 
