A Total Solar Eclipse 187 



of the sun on Dec. 22nd (a guest), described its plan. His 

 Government had granted 6000 for the purpose, and twenty- 

 five observers were to be sent to the Mediterranean, one 

 party to Spain, the other to Sicily. The corona would 

 receive special attention. Comments were made on the 

 action of the Admiralty, which, by refusing a ship, had 

 caused the collapse of the English expedition, but it was 

 stated that the Government would now be more willing 

 to consider the matter. The members present were in 

 favour of repeating the application, though it was doubtful 

 whether there would be sufficient time for the needful 

 preparations. 



Nov. 24th, 2i4th meeting. A singular atmospheric 

 phenomenon, witnessed at Copenhagen in July 1851, but of 

 which a scientific explanation had only recently been given, 

 was mentioned by Mr. Gassiot. About sunset a light blue 

 luminous cone shot through the sky, followed by four others 

 going in the same direction and of the same colour. Their 

 diameter was a little less than that of the sun, the fifth 

 being smaller than the others. It was followed by irregular 

 masses, with an apparently strong internal movement. 



Mr. Huggins described the preparations for observing the 

 coming eclipse of the sun, the Government having now 

 offered the necessary assistance in transport and money. 



1871. Jan. 26th, 2i6th meeting. Mr. Huggins gave 

 some particulars of the late solar eclipse. At Or an, where 

 he was stationed, clouds hid the sun during totality. He 

 exhibited photographs, taken by Lord Lindsay, Mr. Willard 

 of the American expedition, and Mr. Brothers. One of the 

 first-named showed a larger amount of halo on the side of 

 the moon on which the brighter part of the corona round 

 the sun was visible. This probably had to a great extent 

 a terrestrial origin, namely in the light scattered by the 

 imperfect transparency of our atmosphere. In the photo- 

 graphs, taken by Mr. Willard in Spain and Mr. Brothers in 

 Syracuse, similar dark rifts are seen in the corona, which 

 suggests that the light in which they occur is exterior to the 

 earth's atmosphere and probably near the sun. 



