xiv Proceedings. {February 22nd, igio. 



it to have been bright, probably when it was near the sun, but 

 as a brilhant object it must have been very inferior to several 

 which were seen during the 19th century. 



I have a distinct recollection of seeing the Comet in 1835. 

 It was pointed out to me by my father. I was nine years old at 

 the time, and of couise old enough to remember an object so 

 remarkable as the one in question, remarkable that is, from the 

 fact that its return was expected. The sketch I give in the 

 accompanying plate is from recollection, and is only for com- 

 parison with Donati's, which I saw in 1858, when it was near 

 the bright star Arcturus. 



From its position in the sky, I think the time when I saw 

 the Halley's Comet must have been in the Spring, and some 

 time before the perihelion passage, as the object certainly was 

 not so bright as Struve shows it to have been, and was still more 

 inferior to the Donati. It is generally spoken of now as likely 

 to appear as a brilliant object, but it seems to me that there is 

 very little evidence for the assertion. 



The sky was dark when I saw the Comet, and it was com- 

 paratively bright. It now appears that its advent will be later 

 in the year, and if visible at all to the naked eye its brightness 

 will be lessened by twihght. 



The earliest picture of the Comet is that shown in the 

 Bayeux tapestry, but there is very little more to be seen in it than 

 a figure which for some centuries seemed to be sufficient to 

 indicate an unusual object in the sky, such as a flaming sword 

 or other grotesque figure. 



Dr. H. F. Coward read a paper entitled " The Inflam- 

 mability of Gas-Mixtures " 



Hydrogen and Oxygen mixtures were shown to be capable 

 of inflammation at a much lower pressure than had been 

 imagined previously if the igniting spark were produced in the 

 most suitable manner. Minima for sparks of various nature 

 with electrodes of various kinds were given. 



