298 Astronomical Society. 



The thigh-bone, measured in length, gave only one foot six inches, 

 but is very thick. The bones of the leg are of similar dimensions, 

 but perhaps a little more slender. 



It had been conjectured that the animal to which these remains be- 

 longed, was amphibious, and perhaps of the crocodile family - } and 

 the conjecture appeared to Dr. Logan to be justified by the great 

 length and flatness of the head (judging from the single specimen of 

 the cranial bone), and the shortness of the limbs. It was also sup- 

 posed that the animal, when alive, must have measured five and twenty 

 feet around the body, and about one hundred and thirty feet in 

 length. 



An Extract was read of a letter from his Grace the Duke of Buck- 

 ingham, to Professor Buckland,V.P.G.S. dated at Naples, 3rd April, 

 1828, giving an account of certain phenomena, which attended the 

 late eruption of Vesuvius. The author states that the Solfaterra was 

 in no degree affected by the eruption. 



A Letter was read from Charles Stokes, Esq.F.G.S. F.R.S. to W. J. 

 Broderip, Esq. Sec. G.S. explanatory of three drawings of Echini, re- 

 presenting, — I. A specimen of Galeorites albo-galerus (Lam.), from 

 the chalk, in which the plates of the mouth, consisting of five pairs, are 

 preserved in situ ; — 2. A Cidaris, also from the chalk, in which por- 

 tions of the plates of the mouth and the teeth are visible : they are 

 displaced, but exhibit a system quite analogous to that of the recent 

 cidaris ; — and, 3. A Cidaris from Stonesfield, in which the anal plates 

 are in the best preservation. 



At the close of this Meeting, which terminated the Session, the 

 Society adjourned till Friday Evening, the 7th of November ; when 

 they will meet at their Apartments in Somerset House. 



ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY. 



The reading of Mr. South's paper " On the Occultation of 8 Pis- 

 cium by the Moon, &c." commenced in April, was resumed and con- 

 cluded. 



Of all the phenomena which occupy the attention of the practical 

 Astronomer, the Author of this paper considers, that no one admits 

 of such accurate observation, as does the occultation of a fixed star 

 by the moon : occasionally, however, a circumstance presents itself 

 to his notice, which merits peculiar consideration, namely an apparent 

 projection of the star, upon the lunar disk ; the instances in which 

 this anomaly has been observed in this country, are indeed rare ; and 

 has, he says, led many to consider it the attendant of a lively ima- 

 gination. If, however, we dispassionately review the observations 

 of Continental Astronomers, of unsullied reputation, there will, 

 Mr. South says, be little reason to doubt the fact of apparent projec- 

 tion, although perhaps there may be considerable difficulty in ar- 

 riving at its cause. % 



The only instance in which Mr. South has witnessed the pheno- 

 menon, was previous to the occultation of 8 Piscium, on the 6th of 

 February 1 82 1 . (Latitude of the Observatory 5 1 ° 30' 2", 97 North. 

 Longitude of the Observatory 2l 8 ,76 West.) .The night was beau- 

 tifully 



