BY A. B. BIGGS. 45 



veiled as the moon's face was more or less all through, but 

 no trace of coppery tint was observable, only a dark, slaty 

 gray. 



(I have since learned that in other localities favoured with 

 a clear sky the coppery tint was conspicuous. I can only 

 account for my missing it by its being disguised by the per- 

 sistent haze.) 



The following extract from Knowledge of 5th June, ] 885, 

 may be of some interest by way of comparison with the fore- 

 going notes. After referring to my report of the almost 

 total eclipse of the moon on 30th March preceding, as given 

 in the Launceston Examiner, which is quoted, the editor 

 remarks : — 



" The points of interest to be noted are the opacity and 

 slaty tint of the earth's shadow, utterly obliterating all detail 

 on that part of the moon's surface which it covered, and the 

 entire absence of that copper-colour which had become so 

 familiar to observers as to be regarded by them as almost 

 the normal hue of the earth's shadow. Now it is noteworthy 

 that this red tint was conspicuous by its absence on the 

 occasion of the eclipse of the moon on October 4 last, whence 

 it would seem that the terrestrial atmospheric conditions then 

 existing must still persist." 



I was favoured by a clear sky on that occasion. 



