ON THE NATURE OF TH* SUN; x 15 



©ther, and new ones break out near thofe already formed. 

 The probable caufe of openings is, that an elaftic, but not They are pro- 

 luminous gas, iffues up through the porec or incipient open- duccd h J a w ' m<i 

 j r j ur ir ai i ■ i j r • V or gas from the 



ings, and lpreads itlelt on the luminous clouds, forcing them fun's body. 



out of the way, and widening its paffage. The direction and 

 operation of this caufe appears to be not equally extended on 

 all fides, but is frequently oblique, fo that the luminous.clouds 

 are driven, and form a larger fliallow on one fide. Different 

 openings being effected fimilarly, feem to {hew a correfpondent 

 effect or unity of direction to fome extent. 



Fig. 3 reprefents an opening, with a branch coming from Changes in the 

 its (hallow, feen February 18, 1801. Fig. 4 reprefents the openings ob- 

 famc opening as it appeared one hour afterwards, broken out 

 at three places on the one fide, with correfponding projec- 

 tions in its mallow, which is very large on the fide towards 

 which thofe breakings out point, but is more confined on the 

 other quiefcent fide. 



Fig. 5 reprefents a fmall oblong opening, with a very long Observations* 

 fliallow, the luminous matter being clofe to the opening on 

 the other fides. Eight other fmall openings, forming a clutter, 

 had each their (hallows on the fame fide. In three hours it 

 changed to the appearance at Fig. 6, and an hour afterwards 

 an opening began to appear in the further! end of the fhadow, 

 as at Fig. 7. When the fhallows begin to diminifli, and th» 

 lips or projections to difappear, the openings were obferveel 

 to be at the period of their greateft extent. Fig. 8. There is 

 fome difference in the colour of openings, apparently from a 

 thin veil of luminous clouds hovering above them. When 

 the openings are decaying, they divids as in Fig. 9, in which 

 obfervation, December 27, 1799, the luminous paffage 

 acrofs the opening refembles a bridge thrown over a cave 

 or hollow fpace. The opening was completely gone the 

 following day. Openings fometimes increafe after beginning 

 to diminifh. They generally grow Iefs and vanifh. They 

 fometimes become converted into large indentations, with or' 

 without pores or fmall openings, and when they have 

 vanimed, they leave the furface difturbed more than com- 

 mon. - 



The depth of the openings is viiibly apparent, and -the -Obfervation of 

 difiance between ill (hallows and the folar furfaco is indi- Jl^ES* 



sated bv the free motion of low clouds. "Fig. 10 fhpws a~Lo.w moving 



l ar g e clouds. 



