ABSTRACTS % OF THE PAPERS PRINTED IN THE PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF TH E ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, From, 1830 to 1837 inclusive. VOL. III. 1830 to 1837. PRINTED, BY ORDER OF THE PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL, From the Journal Book of the Society. LONDON: PRINTED BY RICHARD AND JOHN E. TAYLOR, RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET. M DCCCXXXVII. 1 « CONTENTS. VOL. III. 1830. On the Nature of Negative and Imaginary Quantities. By Davies Gil­ bert, Esq. President of the Royal Society............ ...................... ^ page 4 On a simple Electro-chemical Method of ascertaining the presence of different Metals; applied to detect minute quantities of Metallic Poisons. By Edmund Davy, Esq. F.R.S. M.R.I.A. and Professor of Chemistry to the Royal Dublin Society..................... .......... 5 On the performance of Fluid Refracting Telescopes, and on the appli­ cability of this principle of construction to very large instruments. By Peter Barlow, Esq. F.R.S. Corresponding Member of the Insti­ tute of France, of the Imperial Academy of St. Petersburg, &c....... 13 Researches in Physical Astronomy. By John William Lubbock, Esq. V.P. and Treasurer of the Royal Society .............................. ......... 16 On the Hour Lines of the Ancients. By W. A. Cadell, Esq. F.R.S. 18 1831. On the Equilibrium of Fluids ; and the Figure of a Homogeneous Planet in a fluid state. By James Ivory, Esq. M.A. F.R.S. ...... 20 On the probable Electric Origin of all the Phenomena of Terrestrial Magnetism; with an illustrative experiment. By Peter Barlow, Esq. F.R.S. Corr. Mem. Inst. France and of the Imp, Acad. St. Petersburg........................... .................. ....................... 23 On the Lunar Theory..................... ...................................................... 25 On a New Combination of Chlorine and Nitrous Gas. By Edmund Davy, Esq. F.R.S. M.R.I.A Professor of Chemistry to the Royal Dublin Society ............................... ................................................ 27 On the Chemical Action of Atmospheric Electricity. By Alexander Barry, Esq. F.L.S............................................................. ........... 29 An Account of Operations carried on for ascertaining the Difference of Level between the River Thames at London Bridge and the Sea a 2 iv and also for determining the Height above the Level of the Sea, &c. of intermediate points passed over between Sheemess and London Bridge. By John Augustus Lloyd, Esq. F.R.S. .................. page30 Description of a Graphical Register of Tides and Winds.' By Hemy R. Palmer, Civil Engineer .......................................................... 33 Proposed Plan for supplying filtered Water to the Metropolis and its Suburbs. By Lemuel Wellman Wright, Esq., Civil Engineer. 36 On the Variable Intensity of Terrestrial Magnetism, and the Influence of the Aurora Borealis upon it. By Robert Were Fox.................. 37 Description of a Mountain Barometer, the column of which is divi­ sible into two portions for safer and more convenient transport. By Mr. Thomas Charles Robinson ....... ...................... ..................... 40 An account of further experiments tried at Chatham, for the purpose of obtaining an artificial Water Cement. By Brevet-Colonel C. W. Pasley,of the Corps of Royal Engineers, F.R.S, and Honorary Mem­ ber of the Institution of Civil Engineers...................... ................. 40 On the Meteorological Observations made at the Apartments of the Royal Society, during the Years 1827,1828, and 1829. By J. W. Lubbock, Esq. V.P. and Treasurer of the Royal Society........... 42 On the Errors in the Course of Vesselsoccasioned by local attraction, with some remarks on the recent loss of His Majesty’s ship Thetis. By Peter Barlow, Esq. F.R.S. &c. ................... ............................. 43 On the Anatomy and Physiology of the Minute and Capillary Vessels. By Marshall Hall, M.D. ......................................................... 45 On the effect of Water, raised to Temperatures moderately higher than that of the Atmosphere, upon Batrachian Reptiles. By Mar­ shall Hall, M.D. &c.......................................................... ................. 47 Account of a new mode of propelling Vessels. By Mr. Wm. Hale. 48 Additional thoughts on the use of the Ganglions in furnishing Electri­ city for the production of Animal Secretions. By Sir Everard Home, Bart. F.R.S........................................ ............. ...................................... 48 On a peculiar class of Acoustical Figures ; and on certain forms assu­ med by groups of particles upon vibrating elastic surfaces. By Michael Faraday, Esq. F.R.S. M.R.I. Corresponding Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Paris, &c................... 49 A Table facilitating the Computations relative to Suspension Bridges. By Davies Gilbert, Esq. V.P.R.S. .................................. 51 Researches in Physical Astronomy. By J. W. Lubbock, Esq. V.P. and Treasurer of the Royal Society...................... .................. 52 An Account of the Construction and Verification of the Imperial Standard Yard for the Royal Society. By Captain Henry Kater, F.R.S. .............................................................................................. 52 An Experimental Examination of the Blood found in the Vena Portae. By James Thackeray, M.D..................................... .................... 53 On the Caves and Fissures in the Western District of the Mendip Hills. By the Rev. David Williams, A.M. F.G.S. Rector of the parishes of Bleadon and Kingston-Seamoor, in the County of Somer­ set........................................................................ 55 Researches in Physical Astronomy. By J. W. Lubbock, Esq. V.P. and Treasurer of the Royal Society.............................................. 59 On the Theory of the Elliptic Transcendents. By James Ivory, A.M. F.R.S. &rc. ............... ................................................ -....... page 60 An Experimental Investigation of the Phenomena of Endosmose and Exosmose. By William Ritchie, Esq. M.A. F.R.S. Professor of Natural Philosophy in the Royal Institution of Great Britain •••••• 61 On the Tides in the Port of London. By J. W. Lubbock, Esq. V.P. andTreas. R.S. ................................................................................ ^ On the Friction of Fluids. By George Rennie, Esq. V.P.R.S. ...... 63 On the Sources and Nature of the Powers on which the Circulation of the Blood depends. By A. P. W. Philip, M.D. F.R.S. L. & E d .... 64 A critical and experimental Inquiry into the Relations subsisting be­ tween Nerve and Muscle. By Wm. Charles Henry, M.D. Physi­ cian to the Manchester Royal Infirmary ......................................... 64 Experiments on the Length of the Seconds’ Pendulum ; made at the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. By Captain Edward Sabine, of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, F.R.S............................................ 66 On recrossed Vision; being the Description of a distinct Tribe of ocular Phenomena, supplementary to a Rationale of the Laws of cerebral Vision, recently published. By John Fearn, Esq. ........... 66 On the Thermostat or Heat Governor, a self-acting physical Appara­ tus for regulating Temperature; constructed by Andrew Ure, M.D. F.R.S. ......................................................................... ............... 67 On the Determination of the Thickness of Solid Substances, not other­ wise measurable, by Magnetic Deviations. By the Rev. William Scoresby, F.R.S. Lond. and Edin. Corresponding Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Paris, &c. .......................... ............. 67 On a new Register Pyrometer for measuring the Expansion of Solids. Part II. By J. F. Daniell, Esq. F.R.S. Professor of Chemistry in King’s College, London ........................................................ 69 On the Influence of Screens in arresting the progress of Magnetic Ac­ tion. By William Snow Harris, Esq. F.R.S. ......................... 69 On the Power of Masses of Iron to control the attractive Force of a Magnet. By William Snow Harris, Esq. F.R.S.......••.................. 69 On the Atmosphere of Mars. By Sir James South, F.R.S............. 71 On the Inflexion of Light. By John Barton, Esq............................. 72 Researches in Physical Astronomy—On the Theory of the Moon. By J. W. Lubbock, Esq. V.P. and Treasurer of the Royal Society ... 75 On the Tides. By J. W. Lubbock, Esq. V.P. and Treasurer of the Royal Society .................................... .............................. ............. 75 On the Structure of the Human Placenta and its connection with the Uterus. By Robert Lee, M.D. F.R.S. Physician to the British Lying-in Hospital................................................................ 75 Facts adduced in refutation of the assertion that the Female Ornitho- rhynchus Paradoxus has Mammae. By Sir Everard Home, Bart. F.R.S. ........................................................................................ 77 On an Inequality of long Period in the Motions of the Earth and Venus. By George Biddell Airy, A.M. Piumian Professor of Astro­ nomy and Experimental Philosophy in the University of Cam­ bridge ............................... ...................................................... 77 vi Experimental Researches in Electricity. By Michael Faraday, Esq. F.R.S. • vft pr o p ......91 Some Remarks on the internal Structure of the Platypus Anafinus ( - nithor'hynchus paradoxus, Blum.). By Richard Griffin,