VOL. XLIV.] PHILOSOrtllCAL TRANSACTIONS. 307 



proached near it. This colour he attributed to the watery particles in the earth, 

 having often observed the very same colour issuing from the long leg of a syphon. 

 On putting his finger on the gun-barrel to stop the electricity, the leaves of each 

 tree had a trembling motion, which remained for some little time, and immedi- 

 ately ceased on withdrawing his finger from the barrel, and admitting the 

 electricity. 



The stcEchas plant has a very long hoary leaf, and bears its blossom on a very 

 small, slender, and almost naked stem, rising near a foot above the body of the plant. 

 This stem had a motion given it, when any non-electric was brought within 

 about 2 inches of its summit, much like the vibration of the pendulum of a 

 clock; which vibrating motion was parallel with the breech of the gun, quite 

 contrary to the same kind of motion he had before observed in a needle, hanging 

 perpendicularly by a thread at the end of the gun ; the needle always vibrating 

 in the direction of the gun. The motion of the plant and needle always con- 

 tinued as long as the glass globe was excited. 



He tried whether electricity could be propagated without mutual contact, by 

 suspending another gun in silk cords, about 2 inches from contact ; and found 

 the electricity was nearly as strong in the second gun as in the first. At the 

 distance of between 3 and 4 inches it was much abated, and so it gradually 

 diminished, as the distance increased to near 6 inches, where it would scarcely 

 attract a thread of trial. 



Mr. Baker, since receiving the above account, had an opportunity of electrify- 

 ing a myrtle-tree, of between 2 and 3 feet in height, growing in a pot ; who 

 found, that whenever the hand, or other non-electric body, was brought near the 

 leaves, streams of fine purple fire issued from them, with a considerably cold air; 

 and that the leaves were attracted at some distance, and moved vigorously to- 

 wards a non-electric body. 



Transit of Mercury over the Sun, Nov. 5, 1743, seen at the Observatory at 

 Giesen. By Christian Lewis Gersten, Math. Prof, and F.R.S. N° 482, 

 p. 376. From the Latin. 



The sun being much obscurexl by flying clouds, the following observations 

 only could be taken at intervals between them. — ^At g^ 5"" 55% true time cor- 

 rected, Mercury was first seen on the sun's disk, being just wholly entered, but 

 yet adhering to the edge. At 1^ 35^" 45' afternoon. Mercury seemed to touch 

 the sun's inner edge ; at l*" 35"" 50* it certainly either touched or went a little 

 beyond it. So that the interval between the two internal contacts was 4*" 29"° 

 50' ; but the duration of the central transit he makes 4*^ 33'". The sun's dia- 

 meter by observation was 32' 30". The latitude of Giesen is 50" 30'. The angle 



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