Mr. Eaton Hodgkinson reported to the Section the result of certain experiments on impact, made in continuation of that valuable series of experiments, which he had communicated to the Association at the three previous meetings.

He gave also the result of some very curious experiments, on the fractures of wires in different states of tension.

Mr. Pritchard exhibited an achromatic microscope, made by him on the principles published in his works, in which the angular aperture of the Object Glasses exceeds any that have yet been produced.

Mr. Ettrick read an account of a Mariner's Compass, which, by two adjustments, caused the cardinal points on the card to coincide with the corresponding points of the horizon.

Mr. Russell read a paper on the solids of least resistance, with reference to the construction of steam vessels.

Mr. Taylor made a communication respecting the monthly reports of the duty of steam engines, employed in draining the mines of Cornwall.

Dr. Lardner then addressed the section on the subject of rail-roads.

Friday. Mr. Ettrick read an account of certain improvements in steam-engines.

Mr. Cheverton read a paper on me chanical sculpture, or the production of busts and other works of art by machinery, through the medium of a model.

Mr. Grubb made some observations on an improved method for mounting an equatorial instrument, adopted by E. J. Cooper, M. P. in his private observatory.

Lieut. Denham, R. N., made some observations on the Vibratory effects of Rail-roads; and a long discussion ensued between Dr. Lardner and Mr. Vignolles on the disadvantages arising from acclivities in rail-roads.

Professor Stevelly described a SelfRegistering Barometer, highly inportant in meteorological observations.

SECTION B.-Chemistry and Mineral ogy-At the Chemical School, Trinity College, Dr. Thomson, president; Dr. Dalton and Dr. Baker, vice-presidents; Dr. Johnson and Dr. Apjohn, secretaries.

The proceedings commenced by Mr. Davy's reading a paper on the best method of Protecting Iron from the action of Salt Water; and detailed many experiments made during some months at Kingstown harbour on the wrought iron buoys.

After this paper was read, a discussion took place, in which Mr. Harcourt, Professor Johnston, Drs. Traill and Read joined, relative to the action of salt water, when heated, on the boiler of steam engines, and its comparative action on wrought and cast iron.

Mr. Ettrick next explained a new Safety Lamp, but it appeared to give little satisfaction, from the fragile nature of the materials. Dr. Daubeny and Mr. Johnston each explained some new improvements in this most important instrument. Professor Kane read a paper on Methyline, on which Dr. Dalton commented at considerable length.

Mr. Fox made a statement relative to the effects of iron, when strongly heated, on the magnet.

A letter was read from Dr. Turner, detailing the progress he had made, in reference to the recommendation of the Association last year, respecting the introduction of a uniform system of Chemical Notation among British chemists. This communication gave rise to a discussion, in which Drs. Daubeny, Dalton, and Reid joined.

Tuesday. Mr. Graham read a paper on the functions of Water and Ammonia in several chemical compounds, and shewed some new salts of oxalic acid.

Mr. Johnson made a communication relative to Isomorphism.

Dr. Daubeny communicated to the section the interesting fact of the discovery of carbonate of magnesia in lava, immediately after the recent eruption of Vesuvius, which must consequently have been sublimed at a high temperature.

Mr. Scanlan made a communication respecting a new product obtained from the destructive distillation of wood, and explained the construction of an improved distilling apparatus.

Dr. Dalton mentioned some of the most remarkable properties of the essential oil of caoutchouc, and gave his opinion relative to its composition.

Wednesday. Mr. Mallet gave an account of some curious changes in the shape of the flame of coal gas, arising from the relative situations of the gas tube and burner.

Mr. Connell described the chemical constitution of fossil scales, and proposed to discriminate, by means of analyses, the class of animals to which they belonged; the scales of fish he found afforded much phosphate of lime, while those of reptiles afforded a very small quantity.

Mr. Kane described some compounds of tin and iodine.

Mr. Snow Harris exhibited a newlyinvented electroscope of extremely sensible and accurate construction, and demonstrated to the Section the fact, denied by Pouillet, that electricity is developed by the evaporation of pure water. The experiment was performed the following day in the laboratory attached to the place of

meeting, in the presence of Mr. Whewell, Professor Moll, the Vice-Presidents, and others.

Dr. Newbigging communicated some observations relative to the effect of green colour transmitted through blood.

Thursday. A communication was made by Mr. Hartop relative to the use of hot air in iron blast furnaces in Yorkshire.

Dr. Apjohn read a paper on a mode of obtaining the specific heats of different

The next communication was from Dr. Dalton, relative to the atomic theory, and the mode of notation most worthy of adoption by chemists. A very animated discussion arose from this communication, in which Mr. Whewell and Mr. Babbage joined; it appears, that an adherence as far as possible to algebraical formulæ, in preference to the Berzelian notation, seems most likely to receive the sanction of British chemists.

Professor Powell made a communication respecting specimens of some crystallized salts for optical purposes.

Mr. Mallet showed specimens of a pulp fit for the manufacture of paper, obtained from turf, and explained the mode of preparing and bleaching it.

Friday. Mr. Davy detailed at length some experiments he had made at the request of the Royal Dublin Society, for the purpose of estimating the comparative values of Virginian and Irish tobacco, from the relative quantities of nicotine contained in each.

Mr. Scanlan made a communication relative to a paper brought forward by him on a former day, on a new product of the destructive distillation of wood.

A communication was made by Mr. Moore on the corrosion of lead-pipes, from the action of organic substances.

Dr. Barker detailed a new mode of precipitating the peroxide of iron from its solutions, by means of the acetate of potash.

Dr. Geoghegan showed a mode of detecting free muriatic acid in prussic acid.

Professor Johnston made a communication on the subject of the compounds of gold and iodine, and described the constitution and appearance of these salts.

Dr. W. Barker mentioned an observation he had made, of the appearance of dark spots on a platina wire ignited by voltaic electricity.

SECTION C.-Geology and Geography.Mr. Griffith, president; Professor Sedgwick and Mr. Murchison, vice presidents; Captain Portlock and Mr. Torrie, secre

taries,

Mr. Griffith, producing his Geological GENT. MAG. VOL. IV.

Map, stated that there were numerous inaccuracies in all present published maps of Ireland, which rendered it extremely difficult to obtain a correct geological outline of the coast. He expected those exce taken by the Ordnance, on which he said too much praise could not be lavished.

Professor Bryce, of Belfast, made some remarks upon the formation of gravelhills in the northern counties, and showed that all these deposits were made by currents from the westward. He proved that there was a similarity between the strata of the opposing coasts of Scotland and Ireland.

Professor Sedgwick, of Cambridge, then rose and entered minutely into the geological history of several counties in England, occasionally referring to the observations of Mr. Griffith, to show the analogy which was evident between the strata of these counties and different parts of Ireland.

Dr. West read a paper on "The Geographical Position of Cape Farewell."

Tuesday. Archdeacon Verschoyle read a paper on the dykes of the county of Mayo.

Professor Phillips brought forward a memoir on fossil astacidæ, a family of the class crustacea. The paper elicited a good deal of discussion, in which Mr. Greenough, Mr. Murchison, and Professor Sedgwick took a part.

Wednesday. A paper was read by Lieut. Stotherd, on a granite district in the county of Cavan.

Mr. Griffith continued his account of the geological map of Ireland, confining himself on this occasion to the crystalline unstratified rocks, or those commonly regarded as of igneous origin. On which remarks were made by Professor Sedgwick, Mr. Murchison, Mr. Greenough, M. J. Bryce, and Mr. J. S. Monteith.

Professor Phillips next read a paper on belemnites, which he shewed were confined to the chalk and oolites, and of which he has identified thirty-four British species.

Professor Agassiz showed that belemnites differed from recent cuttle fish chiefly in the superior developement of particular organs.

The business of the day concluded by a memoir from Capt. Denham, on the basins in the Mersey and Dee.

Thursday.--Mr. Williams read a short notice of some fossil plants, from Bideford in Devon.

M. Agassiz then delivered a lecture on fossil fishes.

Dr. Traill read a paper on the geology of Spain; and Mr. Smith, of Jordanbill, one on a fossil forest near Glasgow. 2 M

Friday.-Professor Whewell made a communication on the bearing of questions in natural philosophy and mathematics on geological inquiries.

Mr. Hartop read a short notice concerning the Yorkshire coal-field.

Professor Sedgwick and Mr. Murchison then brought forward an elaborate memoir on the stratified deposits in England, inferior to the old red sandstone, and on which they have been occupied four or five years. Mr. Murchison's part was the border counties of Wales and England, Professor Sedgwick's comprised North Wales and Cumberland.

Professor Phillips read a notice on a tertiary deposit on the coast of Yorkshire, A letter was read from Mr. Lyell, proving that the crag of Suffolk was of two ages, and not one, as has been hitherto supposed.

The business of the Section finally closed by a brief notice from Dr. Jacob on some diluvial madrepores.

SECTION D.-Zoology and Botany.At the Board Room, Royal Dublin Society. Professor Henslow, president; Dr. Daubeny and Dr. Graham, vice-presidents; Dr. Litton and Dr. Curtis, secretaries.

Monday. Mr. Niven submitted a plan for the formation of a natural arrangement of plants; and various rare plants were exhibited by different gentlemen.

Tuesday. Mr. Mackay submitted several specimens of bog-timber, found eighteen feet under the surface; and detailed the uses made of bog-timber in Ireland.

Dr. Jacob read a paper on the Infraorbital cavetus, or Larmiers of the French authors, existing in the deer and antelopes. Wednesday. Mr. Nichol read a paper on the structure of the horizontal branches of the natural family of Coniferæ.

Dr. Neele made a communication on the seeming hybernation of a landrail.

Some observations of a highly-interest ing character were made by Professor Daubeny, on the circumstances affecting the exhalation of moisture from the leaves of plants-the influence of light and heat together, and of heat without light. A very interesting discussion arose out of this subject.

Mr. P. Marshal read a paper on the zoology of Rathlin.

Professor Allman submitted a plan for the arrangement of plants according to their natural affinities.

Thursday. Mr. Stannage read a detail of the discovery of a toad in a fragment of sandstone rock, at Park Gardens, Coventry; it survived only four days.

Dr. Barry, who ascended Mont Blanc in the autumn of 1834, described some interesting observations made by him on the modifications of the apparent colours

of the sky, as depending on the rays transmitted to the eye from the surface of the earth.

Mr. Mackay introduced to the notice of the Section the extraordinary longevity of the Yew tree.

The Section adjourned at about 11 o'clock, and several of the members proceeded on a botanical excursion to the mountains beyond Kingstown and their vicinity.

Friday. On this morning the Section met in the beautiful gardens of Glassnevin, and afterwards proceeded to Howth, as already mentioned.

SECTION E.-Anatomy and Medicine.At the Council Room, Royal Irish Academy, but on Wednesday at the Royal College of Surgeons, Dr. Roget, president; Dr. Collis and Dr. Crampton, vice-presidents; Dr. Hart and Dr. Harrick, secretaries.

Professor Collis took the chair of Dr. Roget, having been hastily summoned from Dublin.

The first paper read, was by Dr Graves, on the use of Chlorate of Soda in Fever. Mr. Houston read a paper "On Peculiarities in Circulating Organs in Diving Animals."

The "Report of Dublin Committee on motions and sounds of the Heart," was read by Mr. Harrison.

Dr. Williams gave an abstract of a series of experiments, instituted by himself; and Dr. Corrigan addressed the members at considerable length on the same subject, as did Dr. Carson (of Liverpool), Dr. E. Kennedy, and Mr. Hargrave. A letter from the Edinburgh Committee, appointed last year to investigate the same subject, stated that they were not yet prepared to furnish a report.

Dr. Alison read a report from the Committee in Edinburgh, appointed to report on the benefits which would arise from the registration of deaths, and to propose suggestions for the forms to be used in such registration, when established by legislative enactments.

Wednesday. Dr. M'Donnell read his paper "On the Pulse and Breathing;" and Mr. Carlisle, one of the Committee whose report was read on the preceding day, replied to the objections of Dr. Corrigan.

Professor Harrison read a paper, "On Bones in the Heart of Ruminantia;" Mr. Houston, on a peculiar species of hydatid found in living animals, the Cystocircus Tenuicollis; and Professor Harrison, a notice of hydatids found in the human muscles. Several interesting facts were brought forward on the subject of those parasitical beings, by the learned chair. man, and other members.

Professor Jacob read a paper "On the mammary glands in the Cetacea."

Doctor Collins a report of the Lying in-Hospital for the seven years of his mastership; and Sir James Murray a paper "On Atmospheric Pressure as a Remedial Agent."

SECTION F-Statistics.-At the Divinity School, Trinity College, Professor Babbage, president; Dr. Cleland and Rev. E. G. Stanley, vice-presidents; Mr. Drinkwater and Professor Longfield, secretaries.

Monday. Dr. Maunsell read a paper. on the Foundling Hospital of Dublin, and the general effect of institutions for deserted children.

Tuesday. Mr. Langton, of Manchester, read a report on the state of Education in that town.

A portion of Mr. W. R. Gregg's report, on the "Social Statistics of the Netherlands," compiled on the model of Guerry's "Moral Statistics of France,' was read. It referred to Crimes and Prison Discipline, and led to a long and interesting debate.

Dr. Cleland's paper, on the Glasgow Bridewell, was also read.

Wednesday. Colonel Sykes read a paper on the comparative state of the Deccan under the government of the Peishwah and the Company; which was followed by one from Dr. Vignolles, on the relative number of infanticides before and since the closing of the Foundling Hospital in Dublin. The number have increased since that institution was closed.

Mr. Babbage read a paper on the effect of co-operative shops.

Thursday. Colonel Sykes read a paper on the state of education in the Deccan.

The Rev. E. G. Stanley read a report of the religious attendances and state of education in the parish of Alderley in Cheshire.

Dr. Reid delivered his views upon a plan tried in Edinburgh, for the extension of the study of Physics.

Friday. Mr. Babbage read an abstract of the ordnance survey of the parish of Templemore and city of Londonderry; a copy of which had been presented to each section by command of the Lord Lieutenant.

Dr. Jones read a long paper on the condition of Lunatic Asylums in Ireland; and two papers, by Mr. Fox, on the punishment of Death in Norway and Belgium, terminated the labours of the Section.

GENERAL MEETING AT THE ROTUNDA.

On Saturday morning, after Dr. Lloyd, the president, had taken his seat, the Rev, Vernon Harcourt, as general secretary,

addressed the meeting. He stated that invitations for next year had been received from Bristol, Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester, and Newcastle; and an nounced that the next meeting would be held at Bristol, it having been the first city to send a decided invitation. He then gave the following account of the recommendations of the Committee, in furtherance of the general objects of the Society.

Mathematics and Physics-The Committee, after recommending the renewal of many former grants, proposed that small grants be given for constructing tables of the exponents of refracted indices, and organized observations of tempera

ture:

5001. for duplicate reduction of the Astronomical Observations made at L'Ecole. Militaire of Paris.

100%. for determining the constant of lunar notation.

1001. for observations on the temperature. of the tide.

2501. for continuing tidal observations in Liverpool and the Port of London. 100%. for the advancement of meteorology. 301. for the continuation of Professor Wheatstone's experiments.

301. for reducing to practice Dr. Jerrard's plan for solving equations of the fifth or higher degrees.

It was also recommended that the Association should petition the Government to send an expedition to explore the Antarctic regions, and determine as accurately as possible the place of the South magnetic Pole.

Chemistry-That 201. should be given to Mr. Johnston for completing his tables of chemical constants; and 301. to Mr. Fairburn for experiments on the hot and cold blasts in iron-works.

Geology. That 1051. should be granted for prosecuting researches into British Fossil Ichthyology; and that the former grants for determining the amount of sediment in rivers, and the relative levels of land and sea, should be renewed.

Natural History. That the Zoology and Botany of Ireland should be carefully investigated.

Medical Science.. That 507. should be granted for researches into the absorbents; and 501, for examining the sounds of the heart.

Statistics. That E. Halsewell, Esq. be requested to prepare a tabular return of the inquests held during the last seven years in as many counties as possible; and further, to prepare a statistical report of Hanwell Lunatic Asylum. That the heads of inquiry into education issued by the Manchester Statistical Society, should

be recommended to those who design to make similar inquiries.

Mr. Taylor, the treasurer, then made a report of the state of the funds of the Society:-On the 30th of July last there was in the hands of the treasurer 5097.; in the funds 23617.; and unsold copies of works about 560%. In Dublin, the treasurer had received, from 1228 subscribers, 17501., together with an additional sum of 947. for books sold, making the total income 52147. The expenses and sums due by the Association were probably 10007. leaving a clear property of 42141. The receipts of the preceding year in Edinburgh were 16267., while in Dublin they amounted to 1750. It was also very gratifying to be able to state that grants for the advancement of science, of 17007., had been placed this year at the disposal of the committee.

Votes of thanks were then moved in speeches highly and deservedly complimentary to the Lord Lieutenant, the Provost and Fellows of Trinity College, and the various Societies and public bodies of Dublin, who had contributed to the entertainment and hospitable reception of the assemblage; and it was announced, with much approbation, that Trinity Coljege had conferred the honorary degree of

Doctor of Laws on Professor Moll, Professor Agassiz, Sir Thomas Brisbane, Mr. Baily, and Mr. William Smith.

On the same day a farewell dinner was given, by the Provost and Fellows, to his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, and three hundred members of the Associa tion, in the Examination Hall of Trinity College, previously to which his Excellency conferred the honour of Knighthood on the Astronomer Royal, now Sir William Rowan Hamilton.

Professor Robinson proposed the toast of the English Universities, which was acknowledged by Dr. Daubeny and Professor Whewell; and Sir W. R. Hamilton proposed the Scotish Universities, acknowledged by Professor Graham.

The last evening meeting at the Rotunda was very fully attended. Dr. Barry gave a relation of his ascent of Mont Blanc in 1834; Mr. Babbage described a whirlpool near the Cephalonian islands, through which the sea has foamed for forty years; and Professor Wheatstone exhibited his speaking automaton.

Thus closed the fifth meeting of the British Association, an institution of which every anniversary has hitherto been more splendid and more triumphant than the preceding.