'98 THE BORDERLAND OF SCIENCE. 



means of a series of elaborate illustrations, let it suffice 

 to say that the bright edges of the belts bordering on 

 this ruddy equatorial zone seemed to be frayed and 

 torn like the edges of storm clouds, and that the knots 

 and projections thus formed often extended so far upon 

 the great orange zone, from both sides, as almost to 

 break it up into separate parts. 



Now without inquiring into the particular form of 

 action to which these remarkable changes were due, we 

 -can see at once that they implied processes of extreme 

 energy. For, every one of the projections and knots, 

 the seeming frayed edges of narrow cloud-streaks, had, in 

 reality, an extent exceeding the largest of our terrestrial 

 countries. Yet their aspect, and indeed the whole 

 aspect of the ruddy belt, whose extent far exceeded the 

 whole surface of our earth, changed obviously from 

 night to night. 



Strangely enough, these interesting observations, 

 though they were presently confirmed by several well- 

 known students of the heavens, did not attract that full 

 attention from the senior astronomers of the day which 

 they appear to merit. Several, indeed, of our leading 

 astronomers were disposed to deny that anything 

 unusual was in progress, though none asserted definitely 

 that they based this opinion on a careful re-examina- 

 tion of the planet's face. But quite recently one of the 

 most eminent of our modern observers Mr. Lassell, 

 lately President of the Royal Astronomical Society 

 (having been led to observe the planet by the fact that 

 certain phenomena of interest in connection with the 



