176 Scientific Intelligence. 



the two new Fluids in Minerals, with Additional Observations on the Na- 

 ture and Properties of these Substances. By Dr Brewster. 



There was also laid before the Society Astronomical Observations made 

 at Paramatta, and communicated by his Excellency Sir Thomas Bris- 

 bane. 



The Society adjourned its meetings till November. 



Art. XXXIV.— SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 

 I. NATURAL PHILOSOPHY". 



ASTRONOMY. 



1. Pastorffon the Solar Spots and Clouds. — In examining the sun's disk 

 with a fine six feet achromatic telescope of Frauenhofer, with powers va- 

 rying from 25 to 400, M. PastorfF of Buchholtz, near Frankfort on the 

 Oder, has observed several interesting phenomena relative to the spots on 

 its surface, their penumbrae, and the phosphoric clouds. He observes 

 that the penumbra of the spots resemble a mass of the empty eggs of the 

 Bombix neustria, which surround the black spots concentrically and with 

 different breadths. These apparent eggs are contiguous, and, as it were, 

 agglomerated the one to the other, with openings extremely small. M. 

 Pastorff considers it quite certain, that these spots with the penumbra; are 

 on the surface of the solar globe, and that they disappear when the phos- 

 phoric clouds cover them, principally when they are near the margin of 

 the sun, and, he thinks, that it is probably these phosphoric clouds which, 

 in the interval of some hours only, form this great variety of spots. On 

 the 1st December 1823, M. Brioschi of Naples observed a large spot, 

 equal to 1| our globe, surrounded with an irregular and branching eleva- 

 tion, into which there seemed to be precipitating great masses of fire. The 

 whole surface of the sun he saw like an ocean on fire agitated by a storm. 

 M. Pastorff saw this same spot on the same day, when the phosphoric 

 Clouds were in great motion, but though he has often seen the agitation of 

 the phosphoric clouds much greater, he did not consider it as resembling 

 an ocean on fire. Almost always when the spots approach the margin of the 

 sun's disk, they divide themselves into several groupes, or they reunite if 

 they have been previously subdivided. Very near the margin, the spots 

 appear totally altered, and they almost always appear as if they were dis- 

 solved and changed into luminous clouds, though that dissolution is only 

 apparent ; for it is quite evident, that, in proportion as these spots ap- 

 proach the margin of the disk, the penumbra or the nebulosity which 

 encircles them, covers them more and more till they totally disappear. 

 There is then only seen the luminous nebulosity which is sometimes sur- 

 rounded with phosphoric clouds. The sun always appeared more bright 

 at its centre than towards its edge. 



2. Comet seen on the Sun's Disk. — On the 26th June 1819, M. Pastorff 

 observed a nebulous spot and three black ones. The nebulous spot was 





