300 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



unrolled, presents the vertical columns in even minutes, and the hori- 

 zontal in seconds. 



The clock signals are also readily connected with the lines of the 

 telegraph offices, by means of properly arranged switches, so that in 

 effect the beats of the Cambridge clock are as distinctly heard at the 

 offices in Boston, Lowell, Burlington, and elsewhere, as ihey are within 

 a kw feet of the clock, the only limit being the power of the battery ; 

 by commencing at the even minute, the lime is given all along the line, 

 and this is found very convenient in regulating the starting of the 

 Railroad trains. This method has been subjected to a long and satis- 

 factory trial, and is now considered as a permanent regulation in this 

 Observatory. 



The instrument is mounted according to the German form, which 

 has been objected to from the fact that it requires reversal whenever the 

 object under examination crosses the meridian. This is felt as a prac- 

 tical inconvenience in the Cambridge equatorial, only in small zenith 

 distances, since in most instances the telescope passes the meridian by 

 more than an hour of right ascension, and always by more y|an two 

 hours in southern declinations. ^ 



There are but one or two points in which the instrument has been 

 found susceptible of improvement. The arrangement of both the de- 

 clination and hour circles is inconvenient, causing some needless trouble 

 in reading off the angles. 



3. The Solar Eclipse,— The solar eclipse of July 28, was observed 

 at Cambridge, Mass., as follows : 



For the beginning, expressed in mean solar time of the Observatory. 





By R. T. Paine, using a refracting telescope of 54 in. focal length 

 and 3 in. aperture, power 40 — 7*^ 49^" 35*28^ 



By S. C. Walker, equatorial refracting telescope of 4J in. aperture 

 and 5 feet focal length, power 50— 7^^ 49"^ 35-34^ 



By W. C. Bond, Daguerreotype telescope with achromatic eye-piece 

 focal length 9 feet, Sun's image thrown on a white field — 7^ 49 

 38-97«. 



By C. VV. Tuttle, comet-seeker equatorially mounted, 4 in, aperture, 

 power about 15 — 7^^ 49"* 44'08^ 



By T. H Safford, with screen of blue tinse without a telescope — 7*^ 

 50 " 35s. 



At the end of the eclipse the sun was obscured by clouds. To the 

 unwearied and skillful exertions of J. A, Whipple, we are indebted for 

 a series of daguerreotype impressions of the progress of the eclipse, 

 taken in the small dome of the west wing of the Observatory. 



W, C. Bond, Camlridge, ^ 



Observations were made at Burlington, N. J., with a 5 feet equatori- 

 al telescope, and from the very favorable state of the weather were 

 quite satisfactory ; beginning 7^ 31"^ 54^, and ending 9^ 5'" 32^ Lat- 

 itude of the observatory 40''^ 4' bV'G. Saml. J. Gu3I3IERE. 



4. Science of Pisa. — Pisa is a fine city, and its university contains 

 the best general collection in zoology, geology, mineralogy and botany 

 in all Italy. It is justl)? celebrated at home for the high character of 

 its scientific men, and deserves to be generally applauded for their 

 fiakes. Chas. Matteucci, — the two Savi, sons of the renowned G. Savi» 



