364 ANNUAL OP SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



ination, and the most sublime subject for reflection. The extraordinary- 

 contortions and confusion which the more primitive sedimentary strata, 

 such as the gneiss, schist, and mica slate, are found to have, in a very- 

 indistinct degree shadow forth the state of things which must have 

 existed during that period, when the ocean held a very disputed 

 residence on the surface of the earth. Could the surface of the earth 

 have been viewed at that era of its geological history from such a 

 distance as the planet Mars, I doubt not it would have yielded an 

 aspect in no respect very dissimilar to that which we now observe in 

 the case of Jupiter ; namely, that while the actual body of the earth 

 would have been hid by the vast vapor envelope then surrounding it, 

 the tremendous convulsions going on within this veil would have been 

 indicated by streaks and disruptions in the belts ; and those, again, 

 mottled over with markings, such as we observe in the case of the 

 entire surface of Jupiter ; and by reason of the belchings forth of the mon- 

 strous volcanoes which at that period must have been so tremendously 

 active on the earth, the vapor envelope would be most probably marked 

 here and there with just such dingy and black-and-white patches, as 

 form so remarkable features about the equatorial region of Jupiter - 

 probably the result of volcanic matter, such as ashes, &c. which the 

 several volcanoes may from time to time vomit forth, and send so far 

 up into its cloudy atmosphere as to appear on the exteriors, and so 

 cause those remarkable features which so often manifest themselves on 

 the exterior of his vapor envelope ; for I doubt if we have ever seen 

 the body of Jupiter yet, which will probably remain veiled from mor- 

 tal eyes for countless ages to come, or until he be so cooled down as to 

 permit of a permanent residuum on this surface of his ocean that is to 

 be. In applying these views to Saturn, it occurs to me that we may 

 in that respect obtain some glimpse into the nature of those causes 

 which have induced, and are now apparently inducing, those changes 

 in respect to the aspect of his rings, which have, more especially of 

 late, attracted so much attention. If he also be so hot that his future 

 ocean is also suspended as a vast vapor envelope around him, it is 

 possible, I conceive, that some portion of this vapor may migrate, by 

 reason of the peculiar electrical conditions which it is probable his 

 rings may be in, in respect to the body of the planet ; and that such 

 migration of vapor in an intensely frozen state, as it must be in such 

 situation, may not only appear from time to time, as the present 

 phantom ring does, but also encrust the inner portion of the inner old 

 ring with such coatings of hoar-frost, like crystallised water, as to 

 cause the remarkable whiteness which so peculiarly distinguishes that 

 portion of his rings. 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE SUN. 



M. Leverrier has presented to the French Academy new tables of 

 the sun, which he is about publishing. Deduced from a comparison of 

 theory with the observations which have been made since 1750 to our 

 day, these tables will present the movement of the sun with as much 



