Jan. II, 1872] 



NATURE 



205 



weakened. It was easy now to see how the fight would 

 end, as the mongoose became more eager for the struggle. 

 It continued to bite the body of the cobra, going round it 

 as before, and soon came again in front, and bit it a second 

 time in the upper ja>v, when more blood flowed. This 

 continued for some time, until at last, the cobra being 

 very weak, the mongoose caught its upper jaw firmly, and 

 holding down its head, began to crunch it. The cobra, 

 howe\er, being a very strong one, often got up again, and 

 tried feebly to strike the mongoose ; but the latter now 

 bit its head and body as it pleased ; and when the cobra 

 became motionless and dead, the mongoose left it, and 

 ran to the jungle. 



The natives said that the mongoose went to the jungle 

 to eat some leaves to cure itself. We did not wish to 

 prevent it, and we expected it would die, as it was severely 

 bitten. 



In the evening, some hours after the fight, it returned, 

 apparently quite well, and is now as well as ever. It fol- 

 lows either that the bite of a cobra is not fatal to a mon- 

 goose, or that a mongoose manages somehow to cure 

 itself I am not disposed to put aside altogether what so 

 many intelligent natives positively assert. 



This fight shows at any rate how these active little 

 animals manage to kill poisonous snakes. On open ground 

 a snake cannot strike them, whereas they can bite the 

 body and tail of a snake, and wear it out before coming 

 to close quarters. This mongoose did not seem to fear 

 the cobra at all ; whereas the cobra was evidently in great 

 fear from the moment it saw the mongoose. 



Ratnapura, Ceylon, April li, 1871 R. Reid 



AUSTRALIAN PREPARATIONS FOR OBSERV- 

 ING THE SOLAR ECLIPSE 

 THE following letter has been received at the ofiice of 

 the English Government Eclipse Expedition, from 

 the Government Astronomer at Melbourne :— 



"Melbourne Observatory, Nov. 4, 1S71. 



" My dear Sir, — The Eclipse instruments, copies of 

 instructions, and your letter, reached me safely. Some of 

 the instruments slightly damaged however, though not 

 serious. About halt the collodion bottles broken. 



" The organisation of the Expedition is not yet quite 

 complete ; but a start, I think, is now certain. About 

 1,000/. has been contributed by various Australian 

 colonies ; — Victoria, 450/. ; New South Wales, 300/. ; 

 South Australia, 100/. ; Queensland, 100/. ; and we ex- 

 pect to get 50/. from Tasmania. The cost of steamer, 

 &c., will be from 1,400/. to 1,500/. Twelve or fourteen 

 amateurs have joined, paying 30/. each for passage. The 

 voyage will occupy about four weeks, including a week 

 or ten days at Cape Sidmouth. The country at 

 Sidmouth is quite unknown, and inh.abited only by 

 Aboriginals, who, although not very warlike, are often 

 exceedingly troublesome. Little is known of facili- 

 ties for landing, <S;c., but as there are several coral islands 

 in the vicinity, it is possible we may select some of them 

 for observing stations, as they can easily be reached by 

 laden boats. The whole of the coral sea inside the barrier 

 reef is nearly always smooth water, so there cannot be 

 much surf to contend with. The Expedition will have to 

 start from here about the 20th instant. 



" Now, about our equipment : — First, we have Grubb's 

 integrating spectroscope, which, by-the-bye, was con- 

 siderably damaged ; it had got adrift from its packing, 

 and had evidently made sundry excursions of its own 

 inside its case. Our instrument maker has set this right, 

 and it is now in good working order, and I tried it with 

 the hydrogen spectrum yesterday, and it performs satis- 

 factorily. 



" Second, the large field analysing spectroscope came 

 out all right, only one reflector of the kind indicated 

 available, and that altazimuth mounting. Browning 8-inch. 



We can hear of no others. We are busy making equa- 

 torial mounting for this, but I am afraid we shall have 

 no time to apply clock-work. One five-inch equatorial 

 with its clock-work will be devoted to photographs, for 

 this purpose the telescope will be dismounted and camera 

 substituted, as no good can be done with both. 



" Third, Photography. We shall have to confine our- 

 lelves to the operations with the camera as indicated in 

 nstructions, and we are doing all we can to ensure good 

 ssults. 



"Fourth. Polariscope work. — ^The two polarimeters 



mie all right. Prof. Wilson, of our University, has offered 



to take charge of polariscope observations ; his experience 



in experimenting on polarised light will ensure this part 



being thoroughly done if clouds permit. 



" I think we thoroughly understand all the instruments 

 and the instructions, and intend to take up such observa- 

 tions which appear from the latter to be most desirable, 

 and for which we have instrumental means. 



" We have sets of Kirchhoff 's and Angstrom's maps here^ 

 we shall have several hand spectroscopes, opera-glasses, 

 &c., provided for general observations. 



" The little tube with the compound spectra of Mg, Ba, 

 &c., appears to require Leyden jar and coil and a strong 

 current, even then I am doubtful if it can be used. 



" We take up one or two field instruments to determine 

 position, &c. 



" The observing party of Melbourne will number about 

 nine, that from Sydney about six. We can at best only form 

 two observing stations, and those not many miles removed 

 from one another. Sydney observers, under Mr. Russell, 

 will be engaged principally in photographs with refractor 

 and spectrum work (analysing), and possibly we shall be 

 able to arrange some polariscopes for them. 



" I shall send you the earliest possible information of 

 our success or otherwise on our return, which will be 

 about Christmas. 



" Our chances of fine weather are somewhat doubtful, 

 as the cloudy N.W. monsoon generally sets in about the 

 middle of December; it appears, however, that this sel- 

 dom fairly sets in till after Christmas, and as the eclipse 

 takes place on the 12th, we have some reason to hope for 

 success. 



" We are trying to get a recording spectroscope ready, 

 but I am afraid there is scarcely time to finish it. The small 

 telescope has a loose tube around it, covered with paper. 

 The eye-piece and pointer slip across the field, and are 

 made to do so by a long lever, moved by a pricking frame, 



/// is a loose tube forming recording barrel, i^^ is attached 

 to eye-piece by flat spring, // long lever pointed at a, 

 h slide bar parallel to telescope, p pricker frame which 

 slides along b b crossing «ye-piece and pointer to tra- 

 verse field (the lever and slide bar are drawn too parallel, 

 they should be more inclined to one another). By moving 

 / up and down the slide bar the pointer is made to coin- 

 cide with a line, and the pricker p is pressed— after prick- 

 ing one set the loose tube is slightly revolved, and a second 

 set obtained. It is nearly complete, but has not been tried 

 yet. I hope you will have good success in India. 



" At Cape Sidmouth we shall have 3m. 34s. totality, the 

 sun at an altitude of about 45°, a more convenient position 

 than I thought before the data were computed. Like you, we 

 are working almost night and day to get ready, for it was 

 only a fortnight ago I had authority from Government to 

 organise a party and prepare instruments. Again wishing 

 you the best success, 



(Signed) " RoB. L. J. Ellerv 



" J. Norman Lockyer, Esq." 



