increased to 8".82 or 8".83.  The results from photography have disappointed me much.  The failure has arisen, perhaps sometimes from irregularity of limb, or from atmospheric distortion, but more frequently from faintness and from want of clear definition.  Many photographs, which to the eye appeared good, lost all strength and sharpness when placed under the measuring microscope.  A final result 8".17 was obtained from Mr Burton’s measures, and 8".08 from Capt.  Tupman’s.—­With regard to the Numerical Lunar Theory:  A cursory collection of the terms relating to the Areas (in the Ecliptic) led me to suppose that there might be some error in the computations of the Annual Equation and related terms.  A most jealous re-examination has however detected nothing, and has confirmed my belief in the general accuracy of the numerical computations.  I dare not yet venture to assume an error in Delaunay’s theory; but I remember that the Annual Equation gave great trouble to the late Sir John Lubbock, and that he more than once changed his conclusions as to its true value.—­In February I was engaged on the drawings and preparations for my intended Lecture at Cockermouth on the probable condition of the interior of the Earth.  The Lecture was delivered in April.—­At different times in the autumn I was engaged on diagrams to illustrate the passage of rays through eye-pieces and double-image micrometers.—­The miscellaneous scientific correspondence, which was always going on, was in this year unusually varied and heavy.”

Of private history:  He was at Playford till Jan. 26th.—­In April he went to Cockermouth to deliver his Lecture above-mentioned:  the journey was by Birmingham, where he stayed for two days (probably with his son Osmund, who resided there), to Tarn Bank (the residence of Isaac Fletcher, M.P.):  the lecture was delivered on the 22nd:  he made excursions to Thirlmere and Barrow, and to Edward I.’s Monument, and returned to Greenwich on the 27th.—­From June 17th to 28th he was at Playford.—­From Aug. 19th to Sept. 17th he was travelling in Scotland, visiting the Tay Bridge, the Loch Katrine Waterworks, &c., and spent the last fortnight of his trip at Portinscale, near Keswick.  On Dec. 23rd he went to Playford.

1879

“The manuscripts of every kind, which are accumulated in the ordinary transactions of the Observatory, are preserved with the same care and arranged on the same system as heretofore.  The total number of bound volumes exceeds 4000.  Besides these there is the great mass of Transit of Venus reductions and manuscripts, which when bound may be expected to form about 200 volumes.—­With regard to the numerous group of Minor Planets, the Berlin authorities have most kindly given attention to my representation, and we have now a most admirable and comprehensive Ephemeris.  But the extreme faintness of the majority of these bodies places them practically beyond the reach of our meridian instrument, and the difficulty of observation