In the annexed Table are given the results of a series of observations on the vibrations of the magnetic needle, which I undertook last summer, for the purpose of ascertaining whether its intensity is or is not affected by the changes in the earth’s distance from the sun, or by its declination with respect to the plane of his equator; for, if we refer the nodes of the planetary orbits to this plane, there appears to be so considerable a degree of coincidence in most of them, as would seem to imply the existence of a more definite law than we are ac­customed to attach to the abstract principle of gravitation. I am not at present prepared to say much respecting this part of my investigation; but I have obtained results, which appear to be interesting, relative to the variable force of the magnetic attraction, and the action of the aurora borealis on the direction and intensity of the needle.