a signal, by which an attendant is guided in dropping the Ball by hand.’—­Regarding the new Equatoreal the Report states that ’For the new South-East Equatoreal, the object-glass was furnished by Messrs Merz and Son in the summer of last year, and I made various trials of it in a temporary tube carried by the temporary mounting which I had provided, and finally I was well satisfied with it.  I cannot yet say that I have certainly divided the small star of gamma Andromedae; but, for such a test, a combination of favourable circumstances is required.  From what I have seen, I have no doubt of its proving a first-rate object-glass.’—­On March 15th was an annular eclipse of the Sun, for the observation of which I sent parties fully equipped to Bedford, Wellingborough, and Market Harborough.  The observations failed totally in consequence of the bad weather:  I myself went to Harrowden near Wellingborough.—­Respecting the Altazimuth, the Report states that with due caution as to the zero of azimuth ’the results of observation are extremely good, very nearly equal to those of the meridional instrument; perhaps I might say that three observations with the Altazimuth are equivalent to two with the Transit Circle.’—­Respecting Meteorological Observations the Report states that ’The observations of the maximum and minimum thermometers in the Thames, interrupted at the date of the last Report, have been resumed, and are most regularly maintained.  Regarding the Thames as the grand climatic agent on London and its neighbourhood, I should much regret the suppression of these observations.’—­After much trouble the longitude of Edinburgh had been determined:  ’the retard of the current is 0.04s very nearly, and the difference of longitudes 12m 43.05s, subject to personal equations.’—­The Report concludes thus:  ’With regard to the direction of our labours, I trust that I shall always be supported by the Visitors in my desire to maintain the fundamental and meridional system of the Observatory absolutely intact.  This, however, does not impede the extension of our system in any way whatever, provided that such means are arranged for carrying out the extension as will render unnecessary the withdrawal of strength from what are now the engrossing objects of the Observatory.’—­I had much correspondence on Comets, of which Donati’s great Comet was one:  the tail of this Comet passed over Arcturus on October 5th.—­Respecting the Sheepshanks Fund:  In September I met Whewell at Leeds, and we settled orally the final plan of the scheme.  On Oct. 27th I saw Messrs Sharp, Miss Sheepshanks’s solicitors, and drew up a Draft of the Deed of Gift.  There was much correspondence, and on Nov. 20th I wrote to the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University.  A counter-scheme was proposed by Dr Philpott, Master of St Catharine’s College.  By arrangement I attended the Council of the University on Dec. 3rd, and explained my views, to which the Council assented.  On Dec. 9th the Senate accepted