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oT 
Miscellanies. ; 167 
intensity, projecting from near the lower cusp. This phenomenon 
was not seen by Prof. Alexander in the Fraunhofer with green screen 
glass, till 61 seconds before the formation of the ring, and then only 
. asa luminous spot. This difference could not have been the result 
of any oversight on the part of Prof. Alexander; as Prof. Henry, 
immediately on seeing it, called out to Prof. Alexander, and described 
its appearance. The optical capacity of the Fraunhofer is superior 
to that of the Dollond. Prof. Alexander is well known for his nice 
observations of the annular eclipse of the 13th February, 1831, and 
of the total eclipse of the 30th November, 1834. Its explanation 
must be sought-for in the nature of the rays of which this arch and 
brush of light are composed; rays absorbed by the green screen 
glass, and transmitted by the red. ‘The moon’s limb became brightly 
illuminated at 42. 32m. 53.28s. ** An appearance, similar to a row of 
beads, was regarded as the formation of the ring.” “The drops en- 
dured for a second or two.” Expecting a longer duration of the ring, 
the attention of the observers was not directed to the sun’s limb at 
the instant of the rupture. The light succeeding the rupture of the 
ring was visible in the Dollond telescope till 44. 41m. 16.27s., (the 
minute uncertain, perhaps a minute earlier,) having disappeared sev- 
eral minutes earlier in the Fraunhofer refractor. 
No. 28. The beginning of the eclipse was observed by William 
Cranch Bond, at his private Observatory, with a two feet Gregorian, 
_ power 44; latitude 45° 19’ 15” N., longitude 4h. 44m. 17.29s. west of 
- Greenwich, (or 0.69s. in time west of Boston State House by Mr. 
- Paine’s trigonometrical survey,) as follows :— 
Beginning, 3h. 28m. 10.90s. mean time of place of observation. 
End, lost by clouds. 
No. 29. The beginning was observed at 3h. 28m. 11.6s. at the 
: State House, Boston, by Mr. Borden, with a 3} feet refractor. Clouds 
prevented its observation at Cambridge. : 
The Committee also reported the following observations of R. T. 
Paine, Esq., on the occasion of his journey to Washington to observe 
the eclipse. These were made with his sextant, constructed by 
Troughton for the chronometrical survey of Massachusetts, and care- 
fully corrected by that artist for all sensible error of eccentricity ; and 
With three excellent chronometers used by Mr. Paine in the survey. 
