The Toronto instrument is a beautiful equatorially mounted telescope, by Cooke, of York. Its objective is six inches in diameter and of fine quality. The instrument, with attachments, cost £ 400 in England. It was set up in 1881, to aid in obser­ vations of the transit of Venus. It can use powers up to 500 when the seeing is good. It is now used only for the observation of sun-spots, of which a sufficient record is kept to collate them with the phenomena of terrestrial magnetism and aurorae. The Director has always been ready to give the use of the tube to members of this Society and other astronomical students, under necessary restrictions only.

There is a transit instrument, for time reckoning, with all the needful appliances, very carefully attended to. The severe cold of winter interferes with the movement of the telescope, and this has been particularly noticeable during the past season. The contraction of the metals of the equatorial mounting makes it too stiff for the clock to drive. Even solar observations have had to be made when the sun is on the meridian. This difficulty may be surmounted, but it is mentioned here in order that it may be considered by the makers of instruments for use in northern climates.