Elements of the Minor Planets at their ensui?ig Opposition. 359 



ring the act of sneezing, no sensation of light will be experi- 

 enced, because the contraction of the eye-lids upon the eye- 

 ball is prevented." 



The author proceeds to question the accidental nature of this 

 connexion between the action of the respiratory muscles, and 

 that of the eye-lids; and then considers it rather as a provision 

 to compress and support the vascular system of the eye, and 

 thus to guard it against the violent rush of blood which attends 

 certain acts of respiration. This would appear to be con- 

 firmed, by the circumstance of the conjunctiva of a child sud- 

 denly filling with blood, and the eye-lid everting, on our 

 opening its eye-lids whilst crying and struggling with passion, 

 at which time the natural support of the eye is taken ofK 



The two offices performed by the respiratory nerve of the 

 face, or portio dura of the seventh, one of which is voluntary, 

 as in moving the cheeks and lips in speech; and the 

 other involuntary, as in moving the nostrils in breathing 

 during sleep or insensibility ; are in like manner manifested in 

 that branch of the respiratory nerve which is prolonged to 

 the eye-lids ; inasmuch as to this is owing, the contracting of 

 the eye-lids by volition, and their involuntary winking motions, 

 which are for dispersing the tears, and preserving the lucid 

 surface clear : still the author is inclined to think that there 

 are distinct filaments bound up together, which produce these 

 distinct offices or functions ; but such a circumstance cannot 

 be demonstrated except in the spinal nerves, where the roots 

 are separate. 



[To be continued.] 



LXI1I. Apparent Right Ascension and Declination of the four 

 Minor Planets, at and about their ensuing Opposition. 



Dist. from 

 Opposition. Anomalv. the Earth. 



Vesta 1825. Feb. 28th 9 h 91° V 1-357 Rad. 

 Pallas . . Mar. 13th 

 Ceres . . Mar. Hth 

 Juno . . June 23d 

 DALLAS being in the inferior part of its orbit, and 52° from 

 ■*■ its perihelion, will probably appear as a star of 8th mag- 

 nitude. Juno will be too near its aphelion, in the superior 

 part of its orbit, to be visible with any illumination of the 

 wires ; but the daily change in declination being small, the 

 planet's transit may be compared with fixed stars. 



Blackheath, Nov. 2, 1824. S. GltoOMBRIDGE. 



Vesta. 



