but I cannot find that any of these is charged with this duty within high southern latitudes. Great results are, however, expected by the Bureau from their present effort, and the maritime world is to be congratulated upon the important initiative thus taken up by the French Government. A similar difficulty exists as regards modern investigations into the shape of our globe. It will be in your recollection that, during the last year's proceedings of this society, General Schaw read a paper pointing out that these investigations, like those last alluded to, are completely blocked for want of data from the Southern Hemisphere. Hitherto we have been content to look upon the earth as having the form of a ball, flattened at the poles, and to treat this flattening as following regular meridional curves, extending north and south from every point on the equator. It has, however, been demonstrated that this is by no means a correct view, but rather that our globe presents considerable irregularities of shape, both local and general, especially towards the poles, and that pendulum swingings made at various places in polar regions are absolutely necessary before reliable measurements of the earth's diameters can be made, correct diameter measurements being, in effect, the necessary bases of all measurements in astronomy. Pendulum swingings are now the recognised means for determining the extent of local deviations from the ideal form above alluded to, and very precise methods have lately been elaborated for utilising such swingings, which are found to afford rapid and exact means for the purpose in view. It is stated that not more than seven pendulum swingings have yet been made beyond the 50th parallel of south latitude, none of which were made within the antarctic circle, and hitherto all efforts at determining the exact shape of the earth have failed for want of them. In 1867 the late Mr. Proctor drew attention to the permanent low barometer of the south temperate zone, and pointed out, in part explanation, that the centre of gravity for the solid portions of the earth, lay somewhat to the south of the centre of figure. He stated that this explanation had long been received as accounting for two remarkable geographical features,—namely, the prevalence of water over the Southern Hemisphere, and the configuration of nearly all the peninsulas over the whole globe. He stated, moreover, that, in his view of its causes, it was immaterial whether or not those portions of the antarctic regions which had not then been explored were occupied chiefly by land, or whether the unexplored north polar regions were or were not chiefly occupied by a north polar ocean. But, although the existence of the low barometer in the temperate parts of the Southern Hemisphere has been long known, no generally-received explanation of its