26 On the Solar Eclipse, 



from the decomposition of the bone ; the enamel appears fresh 

 and little altered, is hard and not easily frangible, 



jAs many are unacquainted with the appearance of a Mam- 

 moth's tooth in a state of decomposition, the representation of 

 the tooth may be useful in preserving future discoveries ; and 

 as it will probably be admitted that few facts are so likely to 

 throw light on geological history, as those connected with the 

 extinction of this animal, it would be desirable that every occur- 

 rence of this kind should be well noted and recorded. 



Art. IV. — Observations on the Solar Eclipse, September 

 1th, 1820, by J. L. Memes, Esq. 



The phasnomena of eclipses, as the subject of scientific inves- 

 tigation, may be contemplated under two relations, or as con- 

 nected with two distinct and separate departments of inquiry, — 

 the motions ; and the physical analogies of the planetary bodies. 

 On the occurrence of such an event, therefore, the same diversity 

 necessarily obtains in the observations on its economy, according 

 as their tendency is more exclusively directed to the improve- 

 ment of astronomy, and its cognate sciences ; or to the illus- 

 tration of those aifinities of their organic frame, which from ana- 

 logy are inferred to pervade the different parts of the system. In 

 the following observations on the late solar eclipse, appearances 

 are attempted to be described, illustrative chiefly of the latter 

 department, as it regards the inequalities of the lunar surface, 

 and the existence of an atmospheric medium. 



By calculation, these observations were made in lat. 51° 8' N. 

 Ion, 0° 5' W,, the telescope employed being a small but very 

 excellent reflector, with a power at first of 60, and afterwards 

 of 135, Cassini's account of the transit of Mercury, in 1736, ren- 

 dered it extremely probable that the supposed atmosphere 

 of the moon might be visible from refraction, if the body of the 

 planet could be discovered whilst moving in space at a distance 

 from the solar disc. A series of experiments, therefore, partly 

 suggested by an incidental remark of D'Isle on this passage in 

 Cassini, was previously undertaken in order to ascertain the 



