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V

ANNUAL REPORT

Foil

MDCCCLXXIV.

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ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE COUNCIL

OF THE

YOEKSHIEE

PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

MDCCCLXXIV.

PEESENTED TO THE ANNUAL MEETING,

FEBRUARY 2nd, 1875.

YORK:

J. SOTHERAN, BOOKSELLER, CONEYSTREET.

1 8 7 5.

t. .

PATRONESSES

TO THE

¥oift!3|)ue Pjilogopljical #ocietg.

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN.

H. E. H. THE PRINCESS OF WALES.

PATRONS.

H. E. H. THE PRINCE OF WALES.
THE ARCHBISHOP OF YORK.

/

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. >1

X

OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY, 1875.

PRESIDENT :

His Gtrace the Archbishop of York.

YICE-PEESIDENTS :

The Lord Londesborough.

The Hon. & Yery Eev. The Dean of York.
W. H. Eudston Eead, E. L. S.

The Yen. Archdeacon Hey.

Thomas Allis, E. L. S.

The Eev. John Kenrick, M. A., E. S. A.
Eobert Davies, E. S. A.

John Eord.

William Procter, M. D., E. C. S.

William Walker.

TEEASUEEE :

William Gtray, E. E. A. S., E. Gr. S.

COUNCIL :

Elected 1873. .Egerton Yernon Harcourt, M. A.

Eev. James Eaine, M. A.

John Hitching, M. D.

J. E. Walker, M. A., E. Gr. S.
Elected 1874 . .William AYhytehead.

Eev. M. E. Bresher, M. A.
William Eeed, E. Gr. S.

Joseph Munby.

Elected 1875. .Joshua Oldfield.

John March.

Edward Allen.

Erederick L. Mawdesley.

HON. SECPtETAEY:

T. S. Noble, E. E. A, S., E. O. S,

6

OFFICETIS OF THE SOCIETY.

CUEATOES :

Gteology

W. Eeed, F. Gt. S.

Mineralogy ....
Comparative Anatomy
British Ornithology
Insects and Crustacea

Wm. Procter, M.D., F. C.S.
Thomas Allis, F. L. S.

W. H. Eudston Eead, F.L.S.
Yen. Archdeacon Hey, M.A.

Ethnographical Collection S. W. North, F. C. S.

IEev. John Kenrick, M.A.
Eev. W. Gtreenwell, M. A.
Eev. J. Eaine, M. a.

Library . Eev. O. Yance Smith, Ph.D.

D.I).

Botany . William Matterson, M.D.

CoNCHOLOGY . S. W. NoRTH, F. Gr. S.

Observatory & Meteorology ”

under the care of a Committee
consisting of .

REPORT OF THE COUNCIL

OF THE

yOEKSHIRE PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY,

February 2nd, 1875.

Tlie Balance Sheet of income and expenditure to be pro¬
duced by the Treasurer will disclose a satisfactory account of the
Society’s finances. The income of the Society has amounted
during the past year to £1,335 5s. 9d., and the expenditure to
£1,281 14s. 5d., leaving a Balance in the hands of the Treasirrer
of £53 11s. 4d. The Council are glad to report that there
appears to be no diminution in the popularity of the Society’s
Museum. The receipts taken at the gates amount to the sum
of £295 7s. 6d., being the largest amount received during any
one year since 1866, the year in which the Fine Art Exhibition
was holden in York. There are few items of expenditiu’e which
call for remark. £43 10s. have been paid for the new cases
required for the Yorkshire Greological room; £17 19s. 3d. for
the improvement of the cases in which the Society’s valuable
collection of Shells are displayed ; and a further sum of
£36 7s. 9d. has been expended in the purchase of specimens
of Eoman antiquities, a sum small in amount when compared
with the value of the objects secured for the Society’s Museum.

For some months previous to April last the Council have had
under their consideration at various times a scheme for the im¬
provement of the entrance to the Museum opposite Lendal. It
was considered that the entrance in Museum-street was not in
unison with the great improvements which had taken place in
this part of the city during the past few years, and many mem-

8

REPORT OE THE

bers of tbe Society having offered to support a scheme for a new
lodge by contributions towards the cost, Mr. Fowler Jones
was instructed by the Council to prepare plans. The Corpora¬
tion of York also offered in aid of the undertaking to reduce the
annual ground rent hitherto paid by the Society for the Multan¬
gular tower and adjacent land, from £50 to £20. The plan, in
accordance with which the present lodge now in course of com¬
pletion has been built, was selected by the Council. The total
cost of the contracts amounts to £859 4s. 8d. ; but of this sum
£609 10s. have already been subscribed, a sufficient evidence that
the scheme has met with the approval of the members and of
the citizens generally. To Mr. Alderman Walker the Council
feel deeply indebted for the valuable aid he has rendered in
support of the scheme, and to Thomas Ellis, Esq., of Bootham,
the Council desire to tender their best thanks for his munificent
donation of 100 guineas for entrance gates. The Council hope
that the subscription list will yet be augmented, that the lodge
will be completed by voluntary aid, and that it will not be
necessary to apply any portion of the Society’s income for that
purpose.

The Curator of Geology reports that considerable additions
have been made to the Society’s collection during the past year
by our late member, Mr. Blake, F.G.S. These donations consist
chiefly of specimens illustrative of the Lias series, and will aid
much to complete this part of the geological collection. The
Curator is at present engaged in re-arranging and extending
the collection in the Yorkshire Boom. Several new cases have
been provided, and are now placed in the gallery. This has
been rendered necessary in consequence of there being no more
space available in the cases on the basement floor. The Curator
proposes in the course of a short time to make this of the
geological collection as perfect as j)ossible, and when the strati-
grax)hical arrangement of the s^oecimens is com]3lete this room
will add much to the scientific interest of our Museum.

The Curators of Antiquities have to rex)ort a steady and most
satisfactory increase of the department under their charge cliuing

COUNCIL FOU 1874.

9

tlie past year. Several donations have been made, among which
mnst be mentioned a large number of Stycas found many years
ago in York, which, added to those already in the possession of
the Society, makes the collection of these rare coins preserved
at York, the largest perhaps that exists. For this gift the
Society is indebted to its old and long- valued friend and office¬
bearer, Mr. Davies. Mr. Edward Swaine has presented several
interesting specimens of ancient pottery, among which must be
mentioned the rim of a mortar in Samian ware with figures in
high relief. The chief additions to the Museum during the past
year, as also during its predecessors, have been derived from the
long continued excavations for the new extra-mural Station
which have been made by the North-Eastern Railway Com¬
pany. The workmen, in the course of the last twelve months,
have been employed in close proximity to the walls of the City,
and a great change has been made in the aj)pearance of the
ground between the river and the present entrance into the City
through the walls. The house lately occupied by Mr. Close has
been levelled, together with the hill on which it stood, and the
adjacent moat has been filled up. The depth of this moat was
carefully measured before it was obliterated, and from a close
examination of the mound on which the City wall is erected, it
is evident that it has been raised at three or four different
periods; whilst making the new archway through the walls
opposite to the old Railway Station fragments of walls were
discovered, connected, no doubt, with the Baths which were close
at hand, and among the foundations of a mediaeval wall antece¬
dent to that which at present exists, several interesting sculp¬
tured stones were discovered. Among them was an altar,
bearing only a sacrificial axe and a garland; and near it was
the greater part of a very curious figure, on which traces of paint
were plainly to be discerned. Below the feet of the figure is
the greater part of an inscription, on which the name of Arima-
nius can be clearly read, but whether that is the god who bore
that title or not is another question. Another interesting dis¬
covery in connection with these excavations is that of a Roman
road running from the City towards the north west. It may
have led from Eburacum to the Cemetery. It was detected some

10

EEPOUT OF THE

twenty or thirty yards above the Cholera Biinal-gronnd. By
the side of this road, as might be expected, were a considerable
number of interments, amongst which was found the greater
part of a small sepulchral tablet, the second inscribed stone
which has been secured for the Museum in the course of the
year. At a short distance a stone coffin was discovered, which
contained a good impression in lime of the body of a girl, in
which several of her personal ornaments were imbedded. In
the space cleared for the new Station Hotel, five or six large
stone coffins were found and opened, which were more interesting
than such repositories of the dead generally are. Two of them
have been brought to the grounds of the Society and are now
laid side by side, as they were found, and may be seen to the
south of the Hospitium beneath the elder bushes. That to the
right contained the skeleton of a female, the other a mother and
her infant child. Alongside the first-mentioned coffin, vith its
head close to the end, was laid a skeleton, under the back of
wffiich were detected the remains of a box containing several
curious ornaments and vessels of glass, which vrere unhappily
broken. It would seem probable that this was a servant laid
close to her mistress, and charged even in death with the custody
of some of her treasures which she might possibly requiin. This
is not the only case in which a similar box has been foimd.
Another stone coffin, which has been recently brought to the
Museum, is finely sculptured on the exterior, in a manner
somewhat resembling the pair which were handed over to the
Museum several years ago by the Dean and Chapter of York.
Large additions have jDeen made during the year to the Society’s
already most choice collection of Eoman pottery. Among these
may be mentioned the whole of the vessels discovered in several
graves, which will be kept apart to illustrate the method of
Eoman sepulture. Among the smaller pieces is a part of the
mould in which a Samian vessel has been cast, the only instance
as yet noted in England, and important, as it shows that such
articles for domestic use were manufactured in Ebimacum. The
collection of objects illustrative of Eoman life preserved in the
Museum, is now much larger than that from any one place in
the kingdom. It is much to be desired that individual coUec-

COUNCIL FOR 1874.

11

tors, who have been able to acquire some objects of great interest
in which we are still deficient, should give them over to the
Museum, for the gratification and instruction of the public.

In the Department of the Library several additions of im¬
portance have been made during the year. Among these are
the following valuable works : Littre’s Dictionnaire de la
Langiie Francaise, 4 vols., 4to., presented by Mr. E. W.
Smithson ; Stukeley’s Medallic History of Marcus Aurelius
Carausius; and Yaillant’s Numismata Imperatorum Eoman-
orum pimstantiora a Julio Csesare ad Postiimum et Tyrannos ;
presented by Mr. J. F. Walker, F. G-. S. ; Camden’s Britannia ;
Speed’s History of Great Britain ; Heath’s Wars of England,
Scotland, and Ireland ; and Brimstone’s History of the World,
presented by Captain T. E. Smith ; Lyell’s Antiquity of Man,
4th edition, and Geikie’s Great Ice Age, purchased.

The Curator of the Ornithological Department has to report
the addition of the Shear- water Petrel (Pr ocellar ia piiffimis)
to the Eudston collection ; this bird, though common in the
Hebrides, is only an occasional visitant here ; it was picked up
dead in a field near Shipton, having probably flovv^n against the
telegraph wires, and was kindly presented by the Hon. Payan
Dawnay. He has also to call the attention of Ornithologists
to the small quantity of Swallows during the past year ; the
weather was extremely cold about the general time of their
arrival, but he has yet to learn the cause of their scarcity. In
his Eeport, 1872, he mentioned that the black Swans on Wel-
ham Lake, near Malton, had bred in that year in the month of
November. He has now to state that since their acclimatisation
in the past year they bred in April, and hatched six birds from
six eggs on the 6th of that month, two of which Mr. Bower was
kind enough to present to the Corporation of York. Mr. Bower
remarks they are jealous on his lake of the white ones, and
though they are the smaller birds, yet they drive the former
away when they come in their direction. This does not seem
to be the case on the Ouse, where they seem to harmonise
together. They utter a shrill cry when suddenly alarmed.

12

REPOUT OF THE

The Meteorological Eeport for 1873, presented a review of
the temperature of York, as observed by Messrs. Grray, Phillips,
and others, from the early years of the present century ; refer¬
ring to that for general information, the Eeport for 1874 will
chiefly conflne itself to the peculiarities of the year just elapsed.
By a natmal law (on the authority of Professor Phillips)
January 20th is the coldest day of the year. Eeferring to
Whitaker’s Almanac, it appears that the lowest temperatime, on
a registry of 50 years, occurs between January 4th and 16th, at
SG'" for each day. In 1838, (by what probably was but a lucky
guess), Murphy predicted January 20th as the coldest day.
The Thermometer on that day at York indicated 2° Fah. The
Almanac passed through 48 editions. The early part of May
was very cold ; the temperature at York, Grreenwich, and Kew
respectively, was 6”, 7°, and 6° below a mean of 50 years.
There were several days of high temperature in July — the 3rd,
10th, 11th and 20th registered 80'^, 8P and 84° at York. Much
damage was done by lightning in various parts of the country.
November was entirely anomalous in regard to temperature.

The mean of that month for 40 years . 41°. 65

The mean for 1874 . 40°.90

The 1st decade of the month .... 48°. 10
or nearly 8° above a mean.

The 2nd decade . 41°.4

nearly the exact mean of 40 years, and exactly counterbalancing
the excess of the first decade. The whole minima of the third
decade were at or below the freezing point.

December was exceptionally cold. The mean of that month
for forty years was 38°.7 ; for 1874 only 30°.5. The minimum
temperature for 27 days was at or below 32°. The lowest
registered was 5° on the 30th, the highest of that day was
26°, making the mean 15°. 5, or 23° below the mean of 40
years.

The winter of 1860-61 was the nearest parallel of late years.

January, April, July, and August were above a mean, the
remaining months at or below ; December was 9° below a
mean of 40 years. The result on the whole year was 1° below
that mean.

COUNCIL FOR 1874.

13

EAIN PALL, 1874.

Museum.

1

Malton.

Langton.

Flaxton.

Cherry

HiU.

Sheffield.

Jan.

1-07

1-60

1-495

0-83

1-00

1-51

Feb.

1-08

1-36

1-205

1-26

1-17

1.57

Mar.

M9

1-50

1-135

0-93

1-35

1-74

April

1*43

1-26

1-250

1-08

1-37

1-52

May

1*88

2-06

1-725

1-53

1-90

0-87

June

•90

•93

1-105

0-54

1-29

0-71

July

1’53

1-29

1-585

1-41

1-20

0-72

Aug.

1-76

2-34

2-140

2-14

1-81

2-64

Sept.

2-49

2-40

2-095

2-26

3-05

1.72

Oct.

2-22

2-00

1-585

1-84

2-29

3-16

Nov.

2-86

3-27

2-805

2-81

2-87

3-27

Dec.

2-63

3-18

2-740

3-05

2-74

2-81

21-04

23-19

20-865

19-68

22-04

I 22-24

METEOROLOGICAL EEGI8TEE, YORK, 1874.

BAEOMETER.

RAIN.

THERMOMETER.

Highest

Lowest.

Mean.

Inches.

Days.

Rain Mean
of 40 Years.

Mean Temp.

Ditto 40
Years.

Highest.

Lowest. 1

Jan.

30-51

29.34

29-91

1-07

13

1-700

38-6

36-3

54

25 j

Feb.

30-61

29-01

29-96

1-08

10

1-470

35-3

37-8

52

21 !

Mar.

30-78

29-58

30-11

1-19

20

1-593

1 41-2

40-3

60

21

April

30-42

28-93

29-83

1-43

10

1-504

48-8

45-7

75

32

]\Iay

30-40

29-58

30-01

1-88

16

1-689

48-8

52-2

66

31

June

30-62

29-68

30-13

-90

9

2-342

56-9

58-1

74

36

July

30-29

29-67

29-97

1-53

12

2-429

62-0

58-6

84

45

Aug.

30-56

29-28

29-91

1-76

15

2-713

57-8

59-3

80

40

Sept.

30-35

29-42

29-87

2-49

12

2-212

54-5

54'6

73

41

Oct.

30-45

29-10

29-82

2-22

17

2-424

49.0

48-1

64

33

Nov.

30-57

28-64

29-95

2-86

18

2-073

39-8

41-6

58

22

Dec.

30-31

28-84

29-75

2-63

17

1-836

29-8

38-7

48

5

30-78

28-64

29-93

21-04

169

23-985

46-6

47-6

84

5

14

REPORT OF THE

The range of temperature was 79° ; from 84° on July 20th
to 5° on December 30th.

The Rain-fall was nearly S inches below a mean. The
range of the barometer was 2T4 inches, from 30*78 in March
to 28 '64 in November.

S. and S. W. winds have prevailed.

The Society has lost by death and resignation during the
past year thirteen Members, five Lady Subscribers, and three
Associates ; whilst fourteen new Members, eight Lady Sub¬
scribers, and four Associates have been elected. Pre-eminent
among the names which will no longer remain on the Society’s
list of Yice-Presidents is that of Professor Phillips, who died
from the effects of an accident at All Soul’s College, Oxford, on
the 23rd of April, 1874, at the age of 73. The late Professor
Phillips first became known to this Society in 1824, when he
accompanied his uncle, Mr. William Smith, the father of
English Geology, to York, who was then engaged in investi¬
gating the strata of Yorkshire for the purpose of correcting his
celebrated Geological Map, and had been retained by the
Society during the first year of its existence to deliver a course
of Lectures on Geology at York. In the following year Mr.
Phillips was engaged to arrange the fossils in the Society’s
Museum, and in 1826 he was elected to the office of Keeper of
this Museum. On November 7th in that year Professor
Phillips read his first paper before the Society “ On the
probable direction of diluvial currents over parts of Yorkshire
and neighbouring Counties.” This paper, v/liich was printed
in the following year in the TMlosopMcal Magazine, appears to
have been his first contribution to Geological Literature. How
Yorkshire henceforth became thoroughly the field of his laboui’s,
and with what industry and skill he explored almost every liill
and dale of this vast county to elucidate its geological and
mineralogical history, and to determine its physical character,
is best shown in his first published work, The illustrations of
the Geology of Yorkshire,” and subsequently in his “ Rivers,
Mountains, and Sea Coast of Yorkshire.” For several years
subsequent to this period Mr. Phillips appears to have delivered

COUNCIL FOR 1874.

15

at various periods many com*ses of Lectures to its Members.
In 1831 a Meeting was held in this Theatre of great import¬
ance to the scientific world. In the previous year Dr. Brewster
had entered into communication with Mr. Phillips, as the
Secretary of this Society, urging upon his notice the advant¬
ages which would arise from an Annual Meeting of persons
desirous to promote scientific research; aided by the Council
and the valuable support of that great benefactor to the Society,
the late Eev. "W. Vernon Harcourt, Mr. Phillips placed him¬
self in communication with some of the most eminent scientific
men of the day, and with the officers of the various scientific

Societies of the countrv. The result was that on the 27th

%/

September, 1831, under the presidency of the late Earl
Eitzwilliam, then Viscount Milton — to quote the words of the
Annual Eeport of our Society for 1833 : — ‘‘ This Society had
the satisfaction of seeing collected within its walls an assem¬
blage of many eminent members of learned and scientific bodies
from different parts of the United Kingdom, before whom it
became the duty of the Council to propose a plan for the con¬
duct of it, and for the establishment of a general system on wliich
similar meetings might continue to be conducted hereafter.”
At this date and in this place was established ‘‘The British
Association for the Promotion of Science,” and Mr. Phillips
was appointed its first Secretary, under the direction of the
Eev. W. Vernon Harcourt, an office which he continued to hold
until 1863. Mr. Phillips was elected a Fellow of the Eoyal
Society in 1834, and during the same year was appointed to
the Chair of Greology in King’s College, London, and in the
following year the second volmne of his “ Greology of York¬
shire” was published. In addition to his other duties, about
the year 1839 Professor Phillips was appointed by the Treasury
to investigate and to report on the Geology of various parts of
England, and in 1841 he published “ Figures and Descrip¬
tions of Palaeozoic Fossils of Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset ;”
and in 1842 was published the valuable memoir on “ The
Malvern Hills compared with the Palaeozoic districts of Apper-
ley, Wolhope, May Hill, and Usk.” After having continued
to discharge the duties of Secretary and Keeper of this

16

REPORT OF THE

Museum for a period of twelve years, Professor Phillips finally
retired from these offices in the year 1842, but still retained a
connection with the Society as one of its Honorary Curators.
He was appointed Professor of Greology in the University of
Dublin in 1844; and in 1845 he received from the Geological
Society the Wollastan Medal. In 1849, on the joint recom¬
mendation of Professor Phillips and Mr. J. T. Lenyon Black-
well, who had been appointed Commissioners for the purpose
of investigating the various Collieries of the Country, the
Government determined to place these Mines under systematic
inspection, and Colliery Inspectors for this purpose were
appointed. On the death of Mr. Strickland, in 1853, the
office of Deputy Header of Geology, at Oxford, became vacant,
and was offered to, and accepted by. Professor Phillips, and on
the death of Dr. Buckland he became his successor in the
Chair of Geology in the University of Oxford. In 1859
Professor Phillips was elected President of the Geological
Society of London. Professor Phillips continued actively to
discharge the duties of the professorial chair at Oxford until
his lamented death. It must not, however, be supposed that
the Science of Geology alone engaged his attention. His
writings on this Science exceed 70 in number, but there is
scarcely a branch of physical research which Professor Phillips
has not at some time or other elucidated by his laboui’s and
illustrated by his writings. During the latter years of his
residence at St.. Mary’s Lodge, within the grounds of the York¬
shire Philosophical Society, the Science of Astronomy largely
engaged his attention. An equatorially mounted telescope was
fixed in his garden. By this instrument, a 6^ inch refractor
of 11 feet focus, from the factory of Messrs. Cooke, Professor
Phillips experimented with considerable success in lunar
photography, and he appears to have been the first to have
given to the world detailed accounts of expeiiments in this
branch of celestial photography. In 1853 the Professor read
an elaborate paper on the subject before the British Association
at Hull. By the instrument referred to, he was enabled to
produce a negative of inch diameter in 30 seconds. He
communicated to the Eoyal Society notes on the drawing of

COUNCIL FOR 1874.

17

Copernicus, by Father Secchi (1856), suggestions for the
attainment of a systematic representation of the Moon (1862),
on the telescopic appearance of the Planet Mars (1863),
and on the Belts of Jupiter (1863). Notice of the smJace
of the Sun (1865), with many others on astronomical sub¬
jects. In 1864 he was elected President of the British
Association for the year 1865, and delivered the annual address
before a large audience at Birmingham. When statements
from a subsequent occupant of this chair have recently scattered
a feeling of dissatisfaction, if not of dismay, over the minds
of many lovers of science, it is well to recall the words of
so able a philosopher as Professor Phillips. In 1860 he
delivered the Eede Lecture in the University of Cambridge.
In the course of that Lecture he said, “ no one who has
advanced so far in philosophy as to have thought of one thing
in relation to another will ever be satisfied with laws which had
no author, works which had no maker, co-ordinations which
had no designer.” This brief and imperfect notice of the
life of a great and good man will be closed by the following
remarks spoken many years ago in this Theatre by one who
knew him well at Oxford : * ‘‘Of the scientific men who
have adorned this Institution, the name of John Phillips
comes to me as that of an intimate friend. He was for
many years Keeper of the Museum, and then Secretary of this
Society, and at the same time Secretary to the British Associa¬
tion, another link between the local and general association. I
have known many scientific men, but none who seems to me to
have more of the metal and temper of the philosopher than
Professor Phillips. The patience in research, the acuteness of
observation, the eye and hand of an artist for natural scenery, the
cheerfulness of temper which naturalists seem often to attain in
the peaceful field of their labour, the unaffected goodness and
piety, the reasonable caution which is so needful a counterpoise
to the pride and over confidence of successful research : all
these seemed to me to meet in him, and made him one of the

* See the Inaugural Address of His Grace the Archbishop of York, the
President of the Society, 1866.

B

18

REPORT OF THE

most agreeable, as he certainly was one of the clearest, instruc¬
tors in the secrets in the great Book of GrocFs creation.” *

The Society has lost from among the list of its Honorary
Members Sir William Fah’bairn, Baronet, who died at his seat,
at Farnham, on the 18th of August last, at the ripe age of 82.
This eminent Engineer was born at Kelso-on-the-Tweed in
1789. After the completion of his professional education he
settled at Manchester as a machine maker and engineer. From
experiments he had made on the Clyde in 1830 on the foiin and
traction of boats, his attention was thereby directed to the advan¬
tage of iron as a material for shipbuilding, and one of his
earliest attempts in iron shipbuilding w^as a small sea-going
vessel, constructed in Manchester and conveyed through the
streets to the nearest waterway, and so on to its destination.
This, one of the earliest essays in iron shipbuilding, was the
foundation of his fame and fortune. The application of ii’on
in the building of ships for the commercial marine and its use
as armoim for the protection of ships of war have largely de¬
veloped the maritime power and commercial prosperity of this
nation dining the past few years. As an acknowledgment of
services commercial in their character, but of national import,
her Majesty conferred a baronetcy on Sir William Fairbaiim,
an honour which is now enjoyed by his son and successor. Sir
William Fairbairn was a gentleman of the highest scientific
attainments, was a Fellow of the Eoyal Society, and a corres¬
ponding Member of the Institute of France, and in the Literary
and Philosophical Society of Manchester he succeeded to the
chair of Dalton.

The following Lectimes have been delivered in the Theatre
of the Museum during the past year.

Subject.

On the Palatine Hill in Eome,

Name oe Lectueee.

1 tlie ir'aiatine Hiii in Home, ^ ^ .

and Ancient Walls of the City r

* The Council have much pleasure in informing’ the Members of the
Society that a faithful portrait of the late Professor Phillips has been presented
to the Society by R. Davies, Esq., F. S. A., one of the Vice-Presidents.

COUNCIL FOR 1874.

19

Subject.

Name of Lectureb.

An Examination of some of the
Systems of Touch Eeacling. .
Second Lecture on Borne ....
Grems and Precious Stones . . . .
Israel’s Wars and Worship . .

A. Buckle, Esq., B. A.

Eev. A. Shadwell, M. A.
Professor Tekkakt, E. Gr. S.
Gr. St. Clair, Esq., E. Gr. S.

The Council recommend for election as a Vice-President,
Mr. Alderman Walker, and as new Members of Council, Joshua
Oldfield, Esq., Mr. Alderman March, Edward Allen, Esq.,
E. Gr. S., and E. L. Mawdesley, Esq., in the place of Mr.
Alderman Steward, Mr. Alderman Walker, the Eev. Dr. Vance
Smith, and Mr. Ball, who retire by rotation.

HE

IREASUEEE OF THE YOEKSHIEE PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

IN ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR 1874.

INCOME.

£.

Annual Suhscriptions, 4'c. ;

Members . 624

Lady Subscribers . 70

Associates . 15

Arrears . 13

EXPENDITUEE.

s. d.

s. d.

0

2

0

0

Admission Fees of New Members :

Paid in Full . 9 0 0

Paid by Instalments .... 26 0 0

35

25

Composition in lieu of Subscriptions

Keys of the Gates . 49

Temporary Subscriber’s . 5

Rents :

New Manor Shore Pro¬
perty . 100 9 1

St. Mary’s Lodge . 50 8 6

Museum House . 9 5 0

Cottages in Marygate .. 20 16 8

Boat Yard . 5 0 0

- 185 19

Gate INIoney . 295 7

Sale of Guide to Antiquities . 1 17

Use of Tent . 16 0

Permanent Debt :

Yorkshire Insurance

Company . 1900 0 0

Due to Two Members,

£50 each . 100 0 0

- 2000 0 0

Balance in Treasurer's
hands . 159 13 3

Total Debt of Society, Jan. 1, 1875 £1840 6 9

722 2 0

3

6

0

0

Insurance.

Salaries and Wages :

H. Baines (Pension) ,

J. Davison (Do.) ..

J. Fielden .

Lodge Keeper . 46 16

Attendant, Museum .

Do. Hospitium
Gardeners .

£.

s.

d.

119 14 10

35

14

4

14

15

6

13

6

6

5

11

6

140

0

0

100

0

0

26

0

0

70

4

0

46

16

0

, 51

1

0

. 10

8

0

120

4

0

£.

s. d-

189 2 8

Interest to Insurance Company . .

Commission to Bankers .

Museum, Estate, 4’c.’

General Expenses and Eepairs
Gardens, Greenhouses, Sfc. :
General Expenses and

Eepairs . 57 4

Seeds, &c . 5 1

Coals and Coke . 10 8

564 13
75 5
1 2

4

11

6

Purchase &Preparation of Specimens

Library: Books and Binding . 19

Swimming Bath .

Miscellaneous Expenses :

Printing of Eeport and

Communications ....

20

18

6

Printing, Stationery, &:c.

10

16

8

Coals and Gas .

41

6

8

Expenses of Lectures . .

15

6

4

Do. Bands _

11

13

6

Do. Hospitium

Do. Eoman

Antiquities ....
Do. Leading

Stone Coffins. .
Do. New Cases

Do. at Professor
Phillips’s Funeral . .
Postages and Petty Ex¬
penses .

43 8 7

36 7 9

3

61

3

3

25 16 2

2 6 1

W. GEAY, Audited and found correct, 2nd March, 1875. — F. L. MAWDESLEY.

Treasurer.

0

7

0

82 7 1

72 14
1 10
5

2 17

272 16 9

£1281 14 5

Excess of Income for the Year 1874 53 11 4

£1335 5 9

Permanent Debt :

Yorkshire Insurance

Company . 1900 0 0

Due to Two Members,

£50 each . 100 0 0

- 2000 0 0

Balance due from Trea¬
surer, Jan. 1st, 1874. . 106 111
Surplus of Income for

the year 1874 . 53 11 4

- 159 13 3

£1840 6 9

21

MEMBERS ELECTED IN 1874.

Broom, Thomas, Church Street.

Copeland, Miss, Marhet Street.

Crompton, Miss Henrietta M., Micldegate House.
Eerguson, D., Burton Terrace.

Hill, John Bichard, St. Saviour gate.

Kearsley, C., 6, Bootham Terraee.

Lane, Bev. E. A., 92, Bootham.

Me. Allnni, John, 17, St. Marges.

Newton, Bev. Horace, Heivorth Vicarage.
Pauling, Bobert, Holgate Road.

Bobinson, Com. Greorge, St. Ilaryh.

Bodwell, Thomas, St. Sampsoids Square.

Byley, William, 16, Bootham Terrace.

Turner, E. B., The Mound.

LADY SUBSCEIBERS ADMITTED IN 1874.

Boyes, Miss, 2, St. John’s Street.

Costerton, Mrs., 4, Buneombe Place.

Crabtree, Miss, Museum Street.

Eletcher, Miss, Past Mount Road.

Hirst, Mrs., Fulford.

Longridge, Mrs., 32, St. Mary’s.

Marsden, Mrs., 20, South Parade.

Wolstenholme, Miss, Lord Mayor’s Wallc.

ASSOCIATES.

Adams, T., Clifton.

Jalland, W. H., Bootham.

Milbnrn, Gr. W., 53, Gillygate.

Wright, Bev. W., B. A., Clementhorpe Terrace.

EESOLUTION

PASSED AT THE MONTHLY MEETING, MAY 5th, 1874.

- 0 -

‘‘That the Members of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society,
assembled for the first time since the death of Professor Phillips,
desire to place on record the feelings with which they have been
impressed by that melancholy event. While other scientific bodies
lament in his death the extinction of one of the great lights of
science, the Yorkshire Philosophical Society has a debt of grati¬
tude to pay to the memory of one from whom it has received the
most important services. They feel that to him is due mnch of the
prosperity to which the Society has attained ; the richness of its
Museum and the admirable manner in which its treasures are dis¬
played. They desire to testify their admiration of the talents
which, united with industry and devotion to science, raised him to
so high a rank among its cultivators. Above all they cherish the
memory of the moral and personal qualities by which his character
was distingui|hed, and which secured him the warm attachment
of those who knew him intimately, and the general esteem of his
fellow-citizens.”

EESOLUTIONS

PASSED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING, FEBEUARY 2nd, 1875.

1. That the Report of the Council now read be adopted and
printed for circulation amongst the Members, Lady Subscribers,
and Associates.

2. That the thanks of the Society be given to the Members of
the Council retiring from office, also to tfie Treasurer, Secretary,
and Curators for their valuable services ; that authority be given
to the Council to hold Horticultural Meetings in the Museum
Grounds, and to suspend the privileges of entry possessed by
Members during the holding of such meetings, and to give admis¬
sion to the public to the Museum and Hospitium on Whit-Monday
and Tuesday, under the same regulations as last year.

3. That the thanks of the Meeting be given to the Chairman.

23

DONATIONS TO THE MUSEUM.

GEOLOGY AND MINEEALOGY.

Blake, Eev. J. B . Collection of Fossils from tlie York¬

shire Lias.

- 0 - -

ZOOLOGY.

Bright, Mr. E . Filagree Corallite, and Shell Sand

from the Caribbean Sea.

Davis, Mr. S . Skin of the Nilotic Crocodile f Croco-

dilus vulgaris.)

Walker, J. F., Esq . Specimen of Coral.

ANTIQUITIES.

Crompton, Miss Henrietta ^ Specimens of Medi?eval Pottery from

M . j Treves.

Small Yase from Eome.

Davies, P., Esq. . . Collection of Stycas found in York,

in Cabinet of York Minster Oak.

Gibson, Dr . Ancient German Key.

Homan Bone Pin.

Gibson, Mr. Geo . Circular Flint Knife found at Low

Catton.

Harland, H. S., Esq . A Cast of a British Skull found in

the Tumulus at Gristhorpe.

Langton, Wm., Esq. (Man- 'j Casts of Seals belonging to the Vicars
Chester) . ■ . ) Choral, York.

N. E. Hailway, Directors of A Homan Altar.

Part of a Saxon Cross, found under
the City Walls.

A Figure of Arimanius, with inscrip¬
tion.

A Garnet Ear-Drop.

24

Specimens of Mediaeval Encaustic
Tiles.

Fragment of inscription to Bassaeus
Julius.

Stone Capital, Trith. Lions.

Mould for making Samian Ware.

Two Stone Coffins.

Fragments of Two Eoman Urns, found
in Blake-Street.

Specimens of Samian Ware Pottery.
Mediaeval Water Jug.

Mediaeval Water Bottle.

Early French. Pipkin.

Grey Beard and Mediaeval Water Jug,

MISCELLANEOUS.

Davies, E., Esq . Portrait of the late Professor Phillips.

Falconer, Mrs., f London J . . Specimens of Woods collected on the

Borders of the Great Western
Eailway of Canada.

Stephenson, J. F., Esq. . . Fragments of a Bomb-Shell which

fell in Paris on May 2nd, 1871.

LIBEAEY.

Association, British, for the ) ^

’ .PC. Eeport for 1873.

A-ClVclllCGHlGIlt 01 feciGllCG J

Association, Geologists’ . . Proceedings, vol. hi.. Nos. 4 — 8.

Author, The . Eoman Antiquities, illustrated by

Eemains recently discovered on
the site of the National Safe
Deposit Company’s Premises,
Mansion House, London, by
J. E. Price, F. S. A.

Author, The . . . . . . Observations on the Detrital Tin-Ore

of Cornwall, by W. Jory Henwood,
F. E. S., F. G. S.

N. E. Eailway, Directors of

Nelson, T., Esq .

Eobinson, Mr. W .

Swaine, E., Esq .

Swallow, Mr. J. C .

Sykes, Dr., f Doncaster J . .
Walker, Mrs. & J. F., Esq.

25

Author, The . Memoir of John Burton, M. D.,

F.S. A., by E. Davies, Esq., F.S.A.
Memoir of Martin Lister, M. D.,
F.E.S., by E. Davies, Esq., F.S.A.
Memoir of Francis Drake, F. S. A.,
F.E.S.,byE. Davies, Esq., F.S.A.
Monograph of Grimthorpe, by E.
Davies, F. S. A.

Club, Tyneside Naturalists’ ) Natural History Transactions of

Field . ; Northumberland and Durham,

vol. V., pt. 1.

Davies, E., Esq . . Catalogue of Coins and Medals in the

Cabinet of the late J. D. Cuff,

F. S. A.

Account of Coins and Treasure found
in Cuerdale, by E. Hawkins.

Catalogue of the Kerrich collection of
Eoman Coins.

Account of Icenian Coins found at
Weston, Norfolk, by G. Johnson.

Account of some Anglo-Saxon Stycas,
discovered at York, by C. Eoach
Smith.

Harland,H.S.Esq.,/Si?^zrW Williamson’s Description of the Gris-

thorpe Tumulus.

India, Geological Survey of Palseontologia Indica, Series viii.,

pts. 3 — 5, Series ix., pt. 1.

Memoirs, vol. x., pt. 1.

Eecords, vol. vi., pts. 1 — 4.

Institution, Eoyal, of Great | ^os. 58-61

Institution, Smithsonian . , Eeport for 1872.

Monkhouse, Mr. W . Senefelder’s Course of Lithography.

Publishers, The . Nature, (Journal) for 1874.

Eaine, Eev. J . . Coloured Drawing of the Eoman

Tessellated Pavement, found ad¬
joining the Eampart within Mickle-
gate Bar in 1814.

Eead, W. H. Eudston, Esq. Journal of the Linnean Society ; —

Zoology, No. 57.

Botany, Nos. 74 — 77.

26

Bead, W.H. Eiidston, Esq. Proceedings of the Linnean Society,

1873-74.

Smith, Capt. T. E . Camden’s Britannia.

Speed’s (Jno.) Historie of Great
Britaine.

Heath’s (Jas.) Wars of England,
Scotland, and Ireland.

History of the World, translated from
the French by E. Grimstone.

Smithson, E, W., Esq. . . Dictionnaire de la Langne Francaise,

par E. Littre, 4 vols. 4to.

Society, Chemical . Journal for 1874.

Society, Geological . Journal, Nos. 117-— 120'^'.

\

j Eeport

for 1873.

Society, Hull Literary and

Philosophical .

Society, Leeds Philosophi-

^ I Eeport for 1873.

Society, Manchester Lit- ^ Memoirs, vol. iv., 3rd Series.

erary and Philosophical j Proceedings, vols. viii., ix., x.

Society, Meteorological . . Charts of Meteorological Data for

Square 3, Lat. 0*^ — 10<^ N., Long.
20°— 30® W., with remarks to
accompany do., 1 vol. fol. and
1 vol. 4to,

Society, Eoyal, of Edin- 1 Transactions, vol. xxvii., pt. 1.

burgh . ) Proceedings, Session 1872-73.

Society, Zoological . Transactions, vol. viii., i)t. 6.

Walker, J. F., Esq . . Numismata Imperatorum Eomanorum

prsestantiora a Julio Caesar e ad
Postumum et Tyrannos, per J.
Vaillant.

Historia Succinorum, a Nath.
Sendelio.

Medallic History of Marcus Aurelius
Valerius Carausius, by AV. Stuke-
ley, M. D.

Whytehead, Mr. T. B., . . . Transactions of the New Zealand

Institute, 4 vols. 8vo.

27

SERIAL WORKS SUBSCRIBED EOR.

Corpus Inscrix^tionum Latinariim (4 vols. with Atlas of Plates and
Supplement published).

Birds of Asia, by John Gould, F. E. S. (26 parts published).
Natural History of the Tineina, by H. T. Stainton, F.E.S. (13 vols.

published).

Nautical Almanack.

Proceedings of the Zoological Society, with Illustrations.
Publications of the Palceontographical Society (28 vols. published).
Publications of the Eay Society.

Sowerby’s Thesaurus Conchyliorum, col. plates (32 parts published).
The Zoological Eecord (Annual).

London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine.

Annals and Magazine of Natural History.

Geological Magazine.

Journal of the British Archaeological Association.

Numismatic Chronicle.

Meteorological Magazine.

COMMUNICATION

TO THE

MONTHLY MEETINGS

OF THE

YORKSHIRE PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY,

1874.

October 6th. — Dr. Procter read a paper on Basalt in
the North of Ireland, and its formation,” of which the follow¬
ing is an abstract : —

He first described its distribution over that country, espe¬
cially as it constitutes the Giant’s Causeway. Basalt is
part of a series which, when w^ell marked, was composed of (1)
basalt, (2) pisolitic iron ore, which is now extensively worked
in Antrim, (3) hole, which gradually passes into (4) litho-
marge. After describing the characters of the prismatic form,
he considered the beds of lignite which alternate with the
basalt. The volcanic origin of basalt is shown by its general
character, the gradations which are observed from pumice to it,
as well as its occasional deposit, being as it were in sheets,
coupled with the metamorphic action due to heat manifested in
its proximity. In rocks of all ages fissures occur from various
causes ; if into these fissures a quantity of molten basalt is
injected, then a basalt dyke is formed, or the liquid matter may
overflow the dyke and spread far over the surrounding country,
and this is precisely the state of things in Antrim. The true
nature of the change is indicated by the condition of the
surrounding formations. In that locality it is the chalk which
is traversed by the basaltic dykes. Near the basalt the chalk
is converted into granular marble, which is greatest at the point
of contact ; from thence it gradually decreases until its normal

30

character is resumed. This metamorphic action is due to heat,
and in these portions of the cretaceous beds all traces of organic
remains are completely effaced. There seems to have been a
series of overflows of the trap, indicated by the beds of
different thickness to he seen in every section. In some cases
the intervals between the overflows were sufficient to allow the
surface of the basalt to be disintegrated and made fit for the
growth of vegetation before another overflow took place. This
is indicated by the bed of decomposed trap that alternates with
the solid rock and the beds of lignite or wood-coal which occur
between the layers of basalt. These circumstances would serve
to show that forests grew on the surface produced by the disin¬
tegration of the early rock, and that this mass of vegetation
had been destroyed and carbonized by a subsequent flow of
molten basalt. After speaking of the causes producing the
different levels of the rock in various parts, Dr. Procter pro¬
ceeded to consider the cause of the prismatic structure assumed
by the columnal basalt in difierent parts of the United King¬
dom. The prismatic structure is the result of the contraction
on cooling of the molten basalt, just as wet clay or starch
assumes a similar structure on drying. These prisms are
directed into regular or irregular intervals, the cross fracture
being nearly at right angles to the prisms, the surfaces of union
are sometimes quite flat or sometimes curved into a convex or
concave surface. The explanation of this structure, which is
generally accepted, was promulgated by Gregory Watt in 1804.
He observed, during the cooling of basalt fused in a furnace,
that small globules appeared and increased by the formation of
external concentric coats like those of an onion, so that even¬
tually a number of solid balls were formed, each enveloped in
several concentric coats to these by pressure, became converted
into short hexagons. Each ball, resting directly and centri-
cally on the one below it, forms a column of hexagonal columns
with cross joints. Dr. Procter then described other theories
which had been proposed to explain the phenomena, and con¬
cluded with some remarks on the relative value of the several
hypotheses.

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