LONDON. Royal Meteorological Society, December 17.-Sir Napier Shaw, president, in the chair.-F. J. W. Whipple: The laws of approach to the geostrophic wind. The mode of transition from the winds near the surface of the earth to the general current at moderate heights has been discussed by various authors. In the present paper stress is laid on the geometrical aspect of the question. The term "relative wind velocity "being used for the velocity which must be combined with the geostrophic wind velocity by vector addition to give the actual wind velocity at any level, the laws of approach to the geostrophic wind are:-(i) The relative wind turns uniformly with increasing height; (2) the relative wind decreases with increasing height according to the exponential law; and (3) the actual wind at the surface and the relative wind there are inclined at 135°.-G. M. B. Dobson: Winds and temperature-gradients in the stratosphere. From the results of temperature observations by hallon-sondes, it can be shown that the horizontal pressure-gradient, and therefore the wind velocity, should decrease rapidly on passing from the troposphere to the stratosphere. Previously there had been little confirmation of this by actual observations. Seventy ascents recorded by the International Commission gave data for temperature, wind velocity, and wind direction to great heights. These showed that, almost without exception, winds of moderate or great velocity in the troposphere fall off very rapidly on entering the stratosphere, while the wind direction remained constant. On days with small pressure-gradients this effect was not usually found-a result which was to be expected, since the slope of the tropo. pause would then not necessarily be towards the low pressure. Horizontal pressure and temperature-gradients calculated for the observed winds on typical days with moderate or large pressure-gradients show that the pressure-gradient is suddenly reduced, and the temperature-gradient suddenly reversed, on entering the stratosphere. The temperature-gradients calculated from the observed wind velocities are in good agreement with those deduced by Mr. W. H. Dines from temperature and pressure observations.-Capt. C. J. P. Cave: Quotations from the Diary of Samuel Pepys on the weather. In this the author has collected together all references to the weather from the "Diary,"using for this purpose Wheatley's edition. These amo'unt to as many as 557 entries, and are arranged in chronological order. They form a brief comment on the general weather conditions prevailing from January, 1660, to May, 1669. In a preliminary essay the author summarises the principal weather events for each year. He points out that Pepys cannot claim to be considered as a meteorologist, and that his references to the weather are such as anyone might make in writing a diary or in correspondence. He also states that Pepys's memory for meteorological events was not always good, and his remarks on the worst or best weather he remembers must be taken with caution.