NOTES BY THE EDITOR. XIX 



point in the sun's disc was examined with great care after totality 

 without finding any of the lines but those above described. 



" The photograi^h of the corona, taken at Shelby ville, shows a 

 flattening at the extremities of the sun's axis, and an elevation 

 about the equatorial region. The appearance can be explained 

 by the hypothesis that it is a photographic view of the sun's 

 atmosphere, and the form is that which it would assume from 

 the sun's rotation about its axis with its upper surface disturbed 

 by the protuberances or planes below, and by large waves which 

 are to be expected in such an atmosphere." 



The report of Com. B. F. Sands, U. S. N., Superintendent of 

 the U. S. Naval Observatory, on the late eclipse, just published, 

 is an exhaustive one, and compares favorably with the best efforts 

 of a similar nature on the other side of the Atlantic. 



Prof. Kirkwood, of Bloomington, Indiana, has lately published 

 two able papers ; one upon the f)eriodicity of the solar spots, and 

 another on comets and meteors. In the first-named paper he dis- 

 cusses the disturbing action of the planets on th^sun's envelope, 

 and suggests the hypothesis that a particular portion of the sun's 

 surface is more favorable to spot formation than other portions. 

 From his discussions he concludes : — 



1. A connection between the behavior of sun-spots and the con- 

 figuration of certain planets has been placed beyond reasonable 

 doubt. 



2. The theory, however, of spot formation by planetary influ- 

 ence is encumbered with anomalies and even inconsistencies, un- 

 less we admit the co-operation of a modifying cause. 



3. The hypothesis that a particular part of the solar surface is 

 more susceptible than others to planetary disturbance is rendered 

 probable b}^ the observations of different astronomers. 



4. The 11-year cycle of spot variation is mainly dependent on 

 the influence of Mercury. 



5. The marked irregularity of this period from 1822 to 1867 is in 

 a great measure due to the disturbing action of Venus. 



6. Wolf's o6-year cycle is determined by the joint action of Mer- 

 cury and the earth ; and, finally, the hypothesis proposed accounts 

 for all the well-defined cycles of spot- variations. 



In the paper on comets and meteors. Prof. Kirkwood considers 

 the probable consequences of the sun's motion through regions of 

 space in which cosmical matter is widely diffused, and compares 

 these theoretical dedncti(5ns with the observed phenomena of com- 

 ets, aerolites, and falling stars. 



