i8 



NA TURE 



\May lo, 1877 



investigated this point also, and they appear to have found 

 sun-spot inequalities depending on the relative positions 

 of the various influential planets. 



For instance, there is a greater than usual amount of 

 sun-spots when Venus and Jupiter are together ; there is 

 the same a little before the time when either Venus and 

 Mercury or Mercury and Jupiter are together, and finally, 

 there is the same a little before the time when Mercury 

 is nearest the sun. 



These results of strictly solar observation are capable 

 of being verified in quite a different manner, if the 

 planets have an influence on the sun and if the state of 

 the sun's surface affects terrestrial magnetism, it might 

 be expected that we should have magnetic inequalities 

 depending upon the positions of the planets. 



By this it is not meant that the planets influence the 

 magnetism of the earth directly, but rather through their 

 effect upon the solar surface. 



Again, it was shown in the last article that terrestrial 

 magnetic effects at Kew lag behind corresponding states 

 of the solar surface. This lagging behind ought there- 

 fore to be exhibited in any comparison which we make 

 between sun-spot inequalities depending on the planets 

 and magnetic inequalities at Kew depending on the same 

 cause if the latter incqiinlitit's arc iciuscd indirectly throus;h 

 the medium of the sun. 



A comparison of this kind has recently been made by 

 the writer, using for this purpose those inequalities of 

 short period that were most likely to be exhibited in the 

 limited series of magnetic observations at his disposal for 

 the purpose. 



The results are embodied in the preceding diagrams. 

 Diagram D represents the sun-spot, and diagram e the 

 magnetic inequality due to the relative positions of 

 Mercury and Venus (o" denoting conjunction). Diagram 

 F represents the sun-spot, and diagram G the magnetic 

 inequality due to the varying distance of Mercury from 

 the sun (0° denoting perihelion). Diagram h represents 

 the sun-spot, and diagram I the magnetic inequality due 

 to the relative positions of Mercury and Jupiter (o" de- 

 noting conjunction). From all these it will be seen that 

 there is a striking likeness in character between the 

 planetary sun-spot inequalities, and the planetary mag- 

 netic inequalities derived from the records of the Kew 

 Observatory — the latter, however, lagging behind the 

 former in point of time, as might have been expected. 



It is unquestionably a very strange and striking conclu- 

 sion that the daily range of the magnet freely suspended 

 in a vault of the Kew Observatory, should be sensibly 

 greater about the times when Venus and Mercury, 

 or Venus and Jupiter come together in position, and 

 also about the times when Mercury is nearest the 

 sun. 



Perhaps it is not too much to say that the facts de- 

 scribed in the last article go to show that the sun influ- 

 ences the earth, and possibly also the other planets in some 

 unaccountable manner, while the facts of this article go 

 to show that (shall we say in return) the most conspicuous 

 planets of the system, and possibly also the earth, are not 

 without an influence upon the state of the solar surface. 

 I may be permitted, in conclusion, to transcribe a para- 

 graph from a former essay on this subject (Owens College 

 essays). " At first sight we are startled by the supposi- 

 tion that a planet like Venus, which comes nearer to the 

 earth than it ever does to the sun, should in any way be 

 accountable for such enormous manifestations of energy 

 as those which occur over the sun's surface. But the 

 wonder will disappear if wc bear in mind that there may 

 be two kinds of causes or antecedents. Thus we may 

 say that the blacksmith is the cause of the blow with 

 which his hammer strikes the anvil, and here the strength 

 of the blow depends upon the strength of the smith, liut 

 we may likewise say that the man who pulls the trigger of 

 a gun or cannon is the cause of the motion of the ball. 



and here there is no relation between the strength of the 

 effect and that of its cause. 



" Now, in whatever mysterious way Venus and Mercury 

 affect the sun, we may be sure it is not after the fashion 

 of the blacksmith — they do not deal him a violent blow 

 producing all this enormous effect, but they rather pull 

 the trigger, and immediately a very great change takes 

 place." Balfoi'r Stewart 



{To be continued.) 



THE NEW ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS AT 

 CALCUTTA 

 'T^HE propriety of establishing Zoological Gardens at 

 ■'- Calcutta, has, as those who are acquainted with the 

 proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal are well 

 aware, been before the public and the Indian Government 

 for these last fifty years. It is, however, only within a 

 very recent period that anything has been practically 

 effected, and the first report on the progress made in the 

 development of the new institution during the first year 

 of its existence has only just reached us. Before alluding 

 to its contents, a few words on the origin of the present 

 scheme may be acceptable to those who take an interest 

 in the subject. 



Many previous plans for the institution of Zoological 

 Gardens in Calcutta, including that proposed by Sir 

 Joseph Fayrer in 1867, having come to nothing, Mr. L. 

 Schwendler, of the Indian Telegraph Department, brought 

 the subject again to the notice of the Council of the 

 Asiatic Society in March, 1873. Mr. Schwendler pro- 

 posed that the necessary capital should be raised by sub- 

 scription, but that the Government of Bengal should 

 grant the site and give a contribution towards the annual 

 expenditure. This scheme, although taken up with in- 

 terest by the Asiatic and Agricultural Societies and sup- 

 ported by the press, would have ended, like its prede- 

 cessors, in failure, had not the energy of Mr. Schwendler 

 led him to adopt a different course of action. Having a 

 fine private collection of living animals of his own, Mr. 

 Schwendler was able to prove to the Viceroy of India 

 (then Lord Northbrook), who honoured him with a visit, 

 how easy it was to maintain such an establishment in 

 a climate so well adapted to animal and vegetable life as 

 that of Calcutta. Instead of the large and expensive 

 houses necessary in these inclement climes simple sheds 

 suffice as a protection for the animals against the weather, 

 and the luxuriant vegetation is ever springing up to con- 

 tribute to their shelter and retirement. In fact, if only 

 space is provided, and sufficient fencing is put up, ani- 

 mals can be kept almost in the same state as in their 

 native wilds, and buildings may be dispensed with. So 

 practical was Mr. Schwendler's illustration of how easily 

 zoological gardens might be established in Calcutta by 

 showing his own grounds fitted up for the purpose, that 

 the Viceroy was convinced at once, and quickly brought the 

 excellent Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal to a similar state 

 of mind. Having taken up the matter. Sir Richard Temple 

 set to work at it with his usual energy, and by a minute 

 of September 24, 1875, granted a large site for the pur- 

 pose on the road leading from Sural Bridge to the 

 Governor's official residence at Belvedere. Shortly after- 

 wards an honorary managing committee was appointed, 

 with Lord LHHck Browne as president ; Mr. Schwendler 

 and Dr. King and Mr. Watson as members, and Mr. C. 

 Buckland, private secretary to the Lieutenant-Governor, 

 as honorary secretary. The objects of the new institu- 

 tion, besides the general instruction and recreation of the 

 community, were specified to be to facilitate scientific ob- 

 servations on tlie habits of animals, to encourage their 

 acclimatisation, and generally to promote the science of 

 zoology. Upon the starting of the new institution, Mr. 

 Schwendler iminediately hastened to present to it his whole 

 collection of living animals, and the Governor-General 



