396 TRANSIT OF VENUS, 1874. RODRIGUEZ. HERMITAGE ISLAND. 



At 6 h . 34 m . 4 s- 8 I observed internal circular contact with as much precision 

 as the limbs of the Sun and Venus would admit of in such a state of 

 vibration. 



Although I watched carefully, I noticed no alteration in the phenomena of 

 circular contact until 6 h . 34 m . 16 s , when the planet's disk suddenly appeared 

 to be connected with the Sun's limb by a band of the same degree of 

 blackness as the planet, and about one-fourth of its diameter in width 

 (Fig. 2). I can speak with certainty of the decided and instantaneous 

 appearance of the phenomenon. 



At 6 h . 34 m . 57 s , the planet having advanced farther on the Sun's disc, the 

 ligament had increased in length to a small extent, rendering the phenomenon 

 of the connecting ligament still more striking than heretofore. At this most 

 critical time an interval of one minute and ten seconds seems to have ensued, 

 during which no change of phenomena took place. I pointed this out to 

 Lieut. Moore immediately after the observation of Ingress, and asked him if 

 he thought it possible that a mistake in the minute might have been made 

 in recording the times, but he was certain in his own mind that they were 

 recorded correctly ; and although the interval did not seem to me of such 

 a long duration, my attention being so absorbed in the phenomena then 

 occurring, my idea of the duration cannot have been otherwise than imperfect. 

 Therefore I can offer no explanation for this extraordinarily long interval, 

 during which occurred this absence of change of phenomena. 



At 6 h . 36 m . 7 S> 9, in consequence of a slight diminution in the atmospheric 

 disturbance and in the breadth of the ligament, the ligament assumed a more 

 definite shape. 



At 6 h . 36 m . 17 S> 4 the ligament appeared to be decreasing in width very 

 perceptibly, and at 6 h . 36 m . 32 S> 8 it had faded away, and light appeared all 

 round the planet's disc (Fig. 3). Nevertheless, the planet was very near to 

 the Sun's limb, and on watching very attentively I fancied at 6 h . 36 m . 43 8> 2 I 

 saw the light interrupted by an extremely fine ligament which broke ; and 

 immediately after, light was again visible all round the disc of the planet. 

 This last phenomenon may possibly ha.ve been due to one of the waves of 

 vibration round Venus's limb interrupting the light, as the appearance and 

 disappearance were almost instantaneous. 



At 6 U . 41 m . the Sun became again obscured, and did not appear again for 

 an interval of a quarter of an hour. 



On its reappearance most of the atmospheric disturbance had ceased, and 

 shortly after I was enabled to use the highest power in the telescope. 



