is in many cases further increased by the large errors of the predicted places.—­After a fine autumn, the weather in the past winter and spring has been remarkably bad.  More than an entire lunation was lost with the Transit Circle, no observation of the Moon on the meridian having been possible between January 8 and March 1, a period of more than seven weeks.  Neither Sun nor stars were visible for eleven days, during which period the clock-times were carried on entirely by the preceding rate of the clock.  The accumulated error at the end of this time did not exceed 0s’3.—­Some difficulty was at first experienced with the Thomson Electrometer, which was traced to want of insulation.  This has been mastered by the use of glass supporters, which carry some sulphuric acid.  The instrument is now in excellent order, and the photographic registers have been perfectly satisfactory since 1879, February, when the new insulators were applied.—­From the annual curves of diurnal inequality, deduced from the Magnetic Reductions, most important inferences may be drawn, as to the connection between magnetic phenomena and sun-spots.  These annual curves shew a well-marked change in close correspondence with the number of sun-spots.  About the epoch of maximum of sun-spots they are large and nearly circular, having the same character as the curves for the summer months; whilst about the time of sun-spot minimum they are small and lemniscate-shaped, with a striking resemblance to the curves for the winter months.  The connection between changes of terrestrial magnetism and sun-spots is shewn in a still more striking manner by a comparison which Mr Ellis has made between the monthly means of the diurnal range of declination and horizontal force, and Dr R. Wolf’s ’relative numbers’ for frequency of sun-spots.—­The records of sunshine with Campbell’s Registering Sun-dial are preserved in a form easily accessible for reference, and the results are communicated weekly to the Agricultural Gazette.—­Prof.  Oppolzer’s results for the determination of the longitudes of Vienna and Berlin, made in 1877, have now been made public.  They shew a remarkable agreement of the Chronometric determination formerly made with the Telegraphic.  It may be of interest to recall the fact that a similar agreement was found between the Chronometric and Telegraphic determinations of the longitude of Valentia.—­For observing the Transit of Venus of 1882, the general impression appears to be that it will be best to confine our observations to simple telescopic observations or micrometer observations at Ingress and Egress, if possible at places whose longitudes are known.  For the first phenomenon (accelerated ingress) the choice of stations is not good; but for the other phenomena (retarded ingress, accelerated egress, retarded egress) there appears to be no difficulty.—­With regard to the Numerical Lunar Theory:  Respecting the discordance of Annual Equation, I suspend my judgment.  I have now discussed the theory completely; and in