Front Matter

CONTENTS. I. On the great strength given to Ships of War by the application of Diagonal Braces. By Robert Seppings, Esq. F. R. S. p. 1 II. A memoir on the geography of the north-eastern part of Asia, and on the question whether Asia and America are contiguous, or are separated by the sea. By Captain James Burney, F. R. S. p. 9 III. Additional facts respecting the fossil remains of an animal, on the subject of which two papers have been printed in the Philosophical Transactions, showing that the bones of the sternum resemble those of the ornithorhynchus paradoxus. By Sir Everard Home, Bart. V. P. R.S. p. 24 IV. An Account of experiments for determining the length of the Pendulum vibrating seconds in the latitude of London. By Capt. Henry Kater, F. R. S. p. 33 V. On the length of the French Mètre estimated in parts of the English standard. By Captain Henry Kater, F. R. S. p. 103 VI. A few facts relative to the colouring matters of some vegetables. By James Smithson, Esq. F. R. S. p. 110 VII. An Account of experiments made on the strength of materials. By George Rennie, jun. Esq. In a Letter to Thomas Young, M. D. For. Sec. R. S. p. 118 VIII. On the office of the heart wood of trees. By T. A. Knight, Esq. F. R. S. In a Letter addressed to the Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. G. C. B. P. R. S. p. 137 IX. On circulating functions, and on the integration of a class of equations of finite differences into which they enter as coefficients. By John F. W. Herschel, Esq. F. R. S. p. 144 X. On the fallacy of the experiments in which water is said to have been formed by the decomposition of Chlorine. By Sir H. Davy, LL.D. F.R.S. p. 169 XI. The Croonian Lecture. On the changes the blood undergoes in the act of coagulation. By Sir Everard Home, Bart. V.P.R.S. p. 172 XII. Some additions to the Croonian Lecture, on the changes the blood undergoes in the act of coagulation. By Sir Everard Home, Bart. V.P.R.S. p. 185 XIII. On the laws of polarisation and double refraction in regularly crystallized bodies. By David Brewster, LL.D. F.R.S. Lond. and Edin. In a letter to the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. G.C.B. P.R.S. p. 199 ERRATA. Page 72, under "Corr. for arc," line 2nd, for 1,15 read 1,51. under "vibrations for 24 hours," line 2nd, for 86056,93 read 86057,29. "Great weight above," for mean 86057,70, read 86057,79. Page 86, Experiment B, for 86057,70, read 86057,79. Experiment B, under "Diff." for ,23 read ,14. Page 87, Experiment B, for 86059,93, read 86057,93. Page 116, line 22, for "constitute," read "constitutes." The President and Council of the Royal Society adjudged the Medal on Sir Godfrey Copley's Donation, for the year 1817, to Captain Henry Kater, F.R.S. for his Experiments on the Pendulum. And they adjudged the Gold and Silver Medals, on the Donation of Benjamin Count of Rumford, to Sir Humphry Davy, LL.D. F.R.S. for his Papers on Combustion and Flame, published in the last Volume of the Philosophical Transactions. ADVERTISEMENT. The Committee appointed by the Royal Society to direct the publication of the Philosophical Transactions, take this opportunity to acquaint the Public, that it fully appears, as well from the council-books and journals of the Society, as from repeated declarations which have been made in several former Transactions, that the printing of them was always, from time to time, the single act of the respective Secretaries, till the Forty-seventh Volume: the Society, as a Body, never interesting themselves any further in their publication, than by occasionally recommending the revival of them to some of their Secretaries, when, from the particular circumstances of their affairs, the Transactions had happened for any length of time to be intermitted. And this seems principally to have been done with a view to satisfy the Public, that their usual meetings were then continued, for the improvement of knowledge, and benefit of mankind, the great ends of their first institution by the Royal Charters, and which they have ever since steadily pursued. But the Society being of late years greatly enlarged, and their communications more numerous, it was thought advisable that a Committee of their members should be appointed, to reconsider the papers read before them, and select out of them such as they should judge most proper for publication in the future Transactions; which was accordingly done upon the 26th of March, 1752. And the grounds of their choice are, and will continue to be, the importance and singularity of the subjects, or the advantageous manner of treating them; without pretending to answer for the certainty of the facts, or propriety of the reasonings, contained in the several papers so published, which must still rest on the credit or judgment of their respective authors. It is likewise necessary on this occasion to remark, that it is an established rule of the Society, to which they will always adhere, never to give their opinion, as a Body, upon any subject, either of Nature or Art, that comes before them. And therefore the thanks, which are frequently proposed from the Chair to be given to the authors of such papers as are read at their accustomed meetings, or to the persons through whose hands they receive them, are to be considered in no other light than as a matter of civility, in return for the respect shewn to the Society by those communications. The like also is to be said with regard to the several projects, inventions, and curiosities, of various kinds, which are often exhibited to the Society; the authors whereof, or those who exhibit them, frequently take the liberty to report, and even to certify in the public newspapers, that they have met with the highest applause and approbation. And therefore it is hoped, that no regard will hereafter be paid to such reports, and public notices; which in some instances have been too lightly credited, to the dishonour of the Society. CONTENTS. XIV. On the parallax of certain fixed stars. By the Rev. John Brinkley, D.D.F.R.S. and Andrews professor of astronomy in the university of Dublin. p. 275 XV. On the urinary organs and secretions of some of the amphibia. By John Davy, M.D.F.R.S. Communicated by the Society for the Improvement of Animal Chemistry. p. 303 XVI. On a mal-conformation of the uterine system in women; and on some physiological conclusions to be derived from it. In a letter to Sir Everard Home, Bart. V.P.R.S. from A.B. Granville, M.D.F.R.S.F.L.S. Physician in ordinary to H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence; Member of the Royal College of Physicians, and Physician-Accoucheur to the Westminster General Dispensary. p. 308 XVII. New experiments on some of the combinations of phosphorus. By Sir H. Davy, L.L.D. F.R.S. Vice Pres. R.I. p. 316 XVIII. New experimental researches on some of the leading doctrines of caloric; particularly on the relation between the elasticity, temperature, and latent heat of different vapours; and on thermometric admeasurement and capacity. By Andrew Ure, M.D. Communicated by W.H.Wollaston, M.D.F.R.S. p. 338 XIX. Observations on the heights of mountains in the north of England. By Thomas Greatorex, Esq. F.L.S. In a letter to Thomas Young, M.D. For. Sec. R.S. p. 395 XX. On the different methods of constructing a catalogue of fixed stars. By J. Pond, Esq. F.R.S. Astronomer Royal. p. 405 XXI. A description of the teeth of the Delphinus Gangeticus. By Sir Everard Home, Bart. V. P. R. S. p. 417 XXII. Description of an acid principle prepared from the lithic or uric acid. By William Prout, M. D. Communicated by W. H. Wollaston, M. D. F. R. S. p. 420 XXIII. Astronomical observations and experiments, selected for the purpose of ascertaining the relative distances of clusters of stars, and of investigating how far the power of our telescopes may be expected to reach into space, when directed to ambiguous celestial objects. By Sir William Herschel, Knt. Guelp. LL.D. F. R. S. p. 429 XXIV. On the structure of the poisonous fangs of serpents. By Thomas Smith, Esq. F. R. S. p. 471 XXV. On the parallax of α Aquilae. By John Pond, F. R. S. Astronomer Royal. p. 477 XXVI. On the parallax of the fixed stars in right ascension. By John Pond, F. R. S. Astronomer Royal. p. 481 XXVII. An abstract of the results deduced from the measurement of an arc on the meridian, extending from latitude 8° 9' 38",4, to latitude 18° 3' 23",6, N. being an amplitude of 9° 53' 45",2. By Lieut. Colonel William Lambton, F. R. S. 33d Regiment of foot. p. 486 Presents received by the Royal Society, from November 1817 to June 1818. p. 519 Index. p. 528