THE SPLASH OF A DROP AND ALLIED PHENOMENA. 211 



of the circumference where they are regularly spaced and to fill up the 

 rest in imagination, and that where a ray may be really absent he prefers 

 to consider that it has been imperfectly viewed. 



This opinion is confirmed by the fact that in several cases 1 have been 

 able to observe with the naked eye a splash that was also simultaneonsly 

 photographed, and have made the memorandum "quite regular," though 

 the photograph subse(iuently showed irregularity. It must, however, 

 be observed that the absolute darkness and other conditions necessary 

 for photography are not very favorable for direct vision. 



And now my tale is told, or, rather, as much of it as the limits of the 

 time allowed me will permit. 1 think you will agree that the phenomena 

 are very beautiful, and that the details of this transaction, familiar 

 though it has been to all mankind since the world began, have yet 

 proved worthy of an hour's attention. 



