1894.] on the Splash of a Drop and Allied Phenomena. 



303 



graph as that of Series X. Fig. 6. My experience is that most 

 persons pronounce what they have seen to be a regular and sym- 

 metrical star-shaped figure, and ihey are surprised when they come 

 to examine it by detail in continuous light to find how far this is 

 from the truth. Especially is this the case if no irregularity is 

 suspected beforehand. I believe that the observer, usually finding 

 himself unable to attend to more than a portion of the rays in the 

 system, is liable instinctively to pick out for attention a part 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 I have 

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

 simultaneously photographed, and have made the memorandum 

 "quite regular," though the photograph subsequently showed irregu- 

 larity. It must, however, be observed that the absolute darkness and 

 other conditions necessary for photography are not very favourable 

 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. I think you will agree that the 

 phenomena are very beautiful, and that the details of this transac- 

 tion, familiar though it has been to all mankind since the world 

 began, have yet proved worthy of an hour's attention. 



[A. M. W.] 



