VOL. XLI.3 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 477 



An Occultation of Jupiter and his Satellites by the Moon, Oct. 27, 1740, in the 

 Morning ; observed at Mr. George Graham's, in Fleet-street. By Dr. Bevis 

 and Mr. James Short, F. R. S. N° 459, p. 647. 



The moon's centre passed the meridian. 



Jupiter's centre passed the meridian. 



Jupiter's 3d satellite eclipsed by the moon. 



Jupiter's 2d satellite eclipsed by the moon. 



Jupiter's preceding limb immerged. 



Jupiter's subsequent limb immerged. 



Jupiter's 1st. satellite eclipsed by the moon. These immer- 

 sions were taken with a reflecting telescope, of l6.5 inches 

 focus, that magnified 120 times. 

 None of the emersions could be seen for clouds. While Jupiter was im- 

 merging, the sky was perfectly serene; and, at his nearest approach to the moon, 

 he did not appear to alter his figure in the least, nor to be tinged with any pris- 

 matic colours ; neither did he, as is said to have been sometimes observed 

 through refracting telescopes, seem to enter at all on the moon's body. > 



That part on the moon's limb where Jupiter entered, was a hollow ; and 

 though some are of opinion, that the circumference of the moon, as it is 

 bounded to our eye, is a perfectly smooth circle, and that no hills or hollows 

 appear there, as on the surface of the moon ; yet if it be looked at in a clear 

 night with a good telescope, that magnifies about lOO times, or even less, it 

 will be seen rugged and uneven all round. 



Notwithstanding Jupiter's light seems to be more vivid than that of the 

 moon, when he is seen at a good distance from her, and far more so when the 

 moon is away ; yet the contrary is plainly discerned when they are near each 

 other : and in this observation, while Jupiter was immerging behind the moon, 

 his disk appeared much dimmer, and of a more faint and dusky complexion, 

 than the disk of the moon. 



A Letter from James Parsons, M. D., F.R.S. to the R. S. giving a short Ac- 

 count of his Booh intitled, A Mechanical Critical Inquiry into the Nature of 

 Hermaphrodites. London, 1741, in%vo. N° 459, P- 650. 



This treatise was written at the time when an Angolan was publicly exhibited 

 as an hermaphrodite. The intent is to prove contrarily to common opinion, 

 that there are no such things as hermaphrodites in the human race. 1 . The 

 "itroduction, which is chiefly historical, lays down the manner of this error's 



m 



