hitelligeiice and Miscdlaneoiis Articles. 233 



a vast conflagration. The Gi'eat Bear appeared nearly in its centre, 

 occupying about half its diameter in that point, the apex reaching 

 to Capella, then culminating south of the zenith, round which it left 

 a red spot after receding towards its base. Several lighter columns 

 of red and orange shot up north of it. The whole gradually melted 

 into the usual milky haze, in about a quarter of an hour. 



18 Scotland Street, Edinburgh, 

 Feb. 9, J 848. 



Having obtained, since my last communication, corroborative tes- 

 timony on the subject of the solar spot, I beg leave to transmit it to 

 you, by way of postscript. It was elicited by my having inserted 

 in an Edinburgh pajier a paragraph stating the circumstance, and re- 

 questing corroboration from any one who might have observed the 

 spot. I give it in the words of the editor : — 



" We have received several communications fully corroborating 

 the observations of our correspondent, published on Saturday. The 

 same phtenomenon was distinctly observed hy John Wauchope, Esq. 

 of Edmonstone, who has kindly communicated to us particulars, 

 similar to those already noted." — Edinburgh Evening Post, F^b. 2, 

 1848. 



The great point of interest and importance deducible from the 

 fact established, is the extraordinary enlargement of the solar spot, 

 thus rendering it distinctly and palpably visible to the unprotected 

 eye at the distance of ninety-five millions of miles. More than the 

 usual tremendous agencies must have been in force to have produced 

 so great an obscuration. Without a micrometrical observation it is, 

 of course, impossible to approximate to its exact dimensions ; but if 

 the calculation be correct which assigns about 50,0C0 miles as the 

 minimum diameter required for a spot to be visible to the unaided 

 eye, I should feel strongly inclined, from the space obviously occupied 

 by the obscuration on the solar disc, to consider it, at a rude guess, 

 to have been in diameter at least one-twelfth part that of the sun. 



This, however, I submit with necessary diffidence, leaving the 

 ])oint to be determined by more experienced and more scientific 

 inquirers, some of whom may have observed the spot and measured 

 its dimensions. Placing these slight observations at your disposal, 

 I remain. Gentlemen, 



Your obedient Servant, 



W. Pringle. 



ON THE PREPAllATION AND CHEMICAL CONSTITUTION OF 

 ASPARAGIN. 



M. Piria, in order to obtain this substance, caused vetches to ve- 

 getate in the dark, expressed the juice and evaporated it. As soon 

 as the liquor was near the boiling-point, an abundant deposit of co- 

 agulated albumen was formed ; tlie filtered liquor was evajjoratcd to 

 an almost syrupy consistence, and after standing twenty-four hours. 



