1851.) OF THE ROYAL ane SeUUeE I: 65 
French observations, and the observations made by astronomers 
officially located in the path of the shadow, we have the observations 
of M. Schumacher who went to Vienna, of MM. Otto Struve and 
Schidlowsky at Lipetsk, (the former of whom was sent expressly by 
the Russian government,) of Mr. Baily who went to Pavia, and of 
the Lecturer himself who went to the Superga (near Turin). 
It appears that, with M. Arago’s telescope, the whole circum- 
ference of the moon was visible when the moon had entered on only 
about two-thirds of the sun’s diameter. Whatever may be the cause 
of this unusual appearance, it seems to require the use of a telescope 
with a small number of glasses in the highest state of polish. 
As the totality approached, a strange fluctuation of light was seen 
by M. Arago and others upon the walls and the ground, so striking 
that in some places children ran after it and tried to catch it with 
their hands. 
Of the awful effect of the totality, and of the suddenness with 
which it came on, it is difficult to give an idea. The Lecturer cited 
an expression from Dr. Stukely’s account of the total eclipse of 1744, 
observed on a cloudy day, ‘that the darkness came dropping like a 
mantle :” and compared it with his own, in similar weather, “‘ that the 
clouds seemed to be descending.”’ But all agree in the description of 
livid countenances, indistinct and sometimes invisible horizon, and 
general horror of appearance. It is well that we are enabled, by 
means of instances collected by M. Arago, to show that these are 
not simply the inventions of active human imaginations. In one 
case, a half-starved dog, who was voraciously devouring some food,’ 
dropped it from his mouth when the darkness came on. In another, 
a swarm of ants, who were busily carrying their burdens, stopped 
when the darkness came on and remained motionless till the light 
reappeared. In another, a herd of oxen, as soon as the totality was 
formed, collected themselves into a circle and stood with their horns 
outwards. Some plants (as the convolvulus and silk-tree acacia) 
closed their leaves. 
The darkness at Venice was so great that the smoke of the steam 
boats could not be seen. In several places, birds flew against 
houses, &c. Where the sky was clear, several stars were seen. In 
several places a reddish light was seen near the horizon. A heavy 
dew was formed at Perpignan. 
The Lecturer cited an instance which had been related to him by 
M. Arago, in which the Captain of a French ship had beforehand 
arranged in the most careful way the observations to be made: but, 
when the darkness came on, discipline of every kind failed, every 
person’s attention being irresistibly attracted to the striking ap- 
pearances of the moment, and some of the most critical observations 
were thus lost. 
The most remarkable phenomenon observed in all preceding total 
eclipses, and seen equally in this, is the ring of light surrounding the 
moon, called the corona. The Lecturer described the magical 
