600 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO I762. 



suits will not be found so accurate as could be wished ; since the latitude of Venus, 

 deduced from these observations is in all probability 10'' or 12" too little; a quan- 

 tity, which must have a very sensible influence, both on the place of the node, 

 and the inclination of the planet's orbit with the ecliptic ; the latter of which 

 ought to be deduced from observations made on the planet, when in its gi-eatest 

 latitudes. 



In the lower chamber of the observatory, the observers made use of two tele- 

 scopes, one of 6, the other of 8 feet, furnished with wires at half-right angles, in 

 order to determine the place of Venus on the sun, by causing the sun's southern 

 limb to run down one of the threads. The internal contact was observed there 

 by 3 different telescopes, viz. 



At 21^ 4*" 54* with a telescope of G feet. 



'21 5 O . . 8 



21 4 5(3 11 



And the external contact was observed 



At 21** 22"* 53^ with a telescope of 6 feet 



21 22 50 8 



21 22 59 '11 



Professor Canterzani examined the observations by projection, and found 

 them to agree very nearly with those made m the upjjer chamber by Signor 

 Zanotti. ^ 



LXIf^. Of a Burning Rock and Flaming Well, in the East Indies, By Mr. 

 John Woody from Calcutta, p. 415. 



This account is from Mr. Plaisted, who went as surveyor, to take possession 

 of the province of Chetagou, lately ceded to the Company. He writes, that the 

 party entered the province of Chetagou, Jan. 1, 1761 ; and after travelling 54 

 miles, came to a city called Islamabad ; beyond which, about a mile and half, 

 they met with a burning rock, that continually emitted a weak flame from se- 

 veral parts, that might be extinguished for a time, and which he did in some 

 places, for experiment sake, and found flame then breaking out from other parts 

 of it a-nevv, in a very little time, after putting some out, which he kindled again 

 also with straw; and the natives assured him, any extinguished part would kindle 

 of itself, and flame out again in time. In passing again from Chetagou to 

 Luckipore, he visited the rock again, which he adds is of a hard nature, seems 

 to have no unctuous matter in it; nor would a piece of it, broken off" near a 

 flaming part, when heated red-hot, sweat, or discover any sulphureous matter, 

 or even throw off" any smoke. Six inches from the burning places, no heat was 

 perceivable; and close to the rock was a small stream of water, that fornjs a 



