82 
WNATORE 
| Mov. 23, 1882 
the sun’s limb, where observations indicated it should be. 
As it cannot be considered that from present data we are 
certain as to the true time of perihelion passage within 
this amount, it seems that we have no reason to suppose 
that there has been any effect of retardation experienced. 
In fact the deviation shown by the ellipse is opposite to 
that which would have been the result of such retar- 
dation. 
It should be remarked (as being of interest) that at the 
instant of entry upon the sun, the comet was about 
1,600,00c miles from its surface (the true anomaly being 
about 90°). 
The perihelion passage took place less than two hours 
after. The whole half circuit of the sun (from v= —go° 
to v=+90°) occupied but 35 hours. It is certainly an 
interesting fact to consider, that an object of such limited 
dimensions and small gravity can pass at such an enor- 
mous velocity for hours through the sun’s upper atmo- 
sphere, and emerge with so slight an effect on its motion 
as this body has apparently experienced. 
An additional argument in support of my conclusion 
that little or no disturbance was suffered can be drawn 
from the fact that the comet, after passing this ordeal, is 
departing with nearly parabolic velocity, as the slight 
variation of the eccentricity from unity in the above 
elements proves. 
Another interesting point which I would simply indi- 
cate, without discussing, is the bearing of the visibility of 
the comet clear up to the sun’s edge. Prof. Pickering has 
sugzested that the light which rendered it visible in this 
position must have been nearly all from the comet’s own 
incandescence, scarcely any of it from reflection of the 
sun’s light. 
I think that the orbits which I have given may be con- 
sidered as setting at rest completely the idea of identity 
of the present comet with those of 1668 and 1843. I say 
nothing of that of 1880, since there, although the hypo- 
thesis of its identity has been entertained in some 
quarters, it cannot for a moment be regarded as tenable. 
I have elsewhere shown that the deviations between the 
observations in 1880 and any hypothesis involving an 
ellipse of less than ten years’ period for that comet, are 
too large to be considered for an instant as probable. 
The hypothesis of identity with comet 1880, I., may there- 
fore be left to the sensation-mongers. 
I inclose a copy of the Sczence Observer Circular, the 
regular issue of which will be out in a few days. The 
figures I have here given differ very slightly from those in 
the printed circular, but you may regard what I give in 
this letter as the latest. The elliptical orbit will dispose 
of the systematic deviations in the table (columns v0 —c) 
completely, and leave only the unavoidable observation 
errors. 
You may make what use you please of this, except to 
treat it as a formally-prepared paper. 
S. C. CHANDLER, Jun. 
INFLUENCE OF “ENVIRONMENT” UPON 
PLANTS 
i the /udian Forester for July, 1882, Dr. Brandis, 
Director of the India Forest Department, has given 
the following interesting particulars as to the change in 
the season of flowering of the Australian acacias intro- 
duced in the Nilgiris :— 
“ Acacia dealbata was introduced on the Nilgiris before 
the year 1845. Col. Dun, the owner of many houses in 
Ootacamund, had planted several trees in his compounds, 
probably several years before 1545, but the tree was by no 
means common, and as late as 1855 was sold at the 
Government gardens, at two annasa plant. A curious 
fact regarding the flowering of this tree has been ob- 
served :—In 1845, and up to about 1850, the trees 
flowered in October, which corresponded with the Aus- 
tralian flowering time ; but about 1860 they were observed 
to flower in September ; in 1870 they flowered in August ; 
in 1878 in July, and here, this year, 1882, they have 
begun to flower in June, this being the spring month here, 
corresponding with October in Australia. All the trees 
do not flower so early, because at various times seeds 
have been imported from Australia, and the produce of 
these would of course flower at the same time as the 
parent trees in Australia, until acclimatised here. 
“Having watched the flowering of these trees for 
nearly forty years, there cannot be any doubt in the 
matter; and it is a curious fact that it should have taken 
the trees nearly forty years to regain their habit of flower- 
ing in the spring. Commencing in October, our autumn, 
it has gradually worked its way back to summer, and 
finally to spring; probably it will remain at this point.’’ 
I have tried to see whether any similar change of 
season could be traced at Kew. 
Acacia dealbata can only be grown under glass with 
us. It forms a small tree in the Temperate House, and 
is a splendid object when in full flower. This usually 
takes place in early spring or towards the end of winter, 
say about February. Sir Joseph Hooker observed that 
A. dealbata and A. decurrens, var. mollis (which are 
closely allied species), flowered at the same time in 
Tasmania. In Aiton’s Hortus Kewensis (1813, A. de- 
currens) is said to have been introduced in 1790 by Sir 
Joseph Banks, and to flower in May-July. The evidence, 
then, as far as it goes, would seem to indicate that the 
flowering time had also progressively worked back in 
England, though under more artificial conditions. 
W. T. THISELTON DYER 
THE MAGNETIC STORM AND AURORA 
qr ee telegraphic system of this country has, since 
Friday morning last, been disturbed in a way that 
far exceeds anything of the kind that has ever happened 
before. Very powerful electric currents have been sway- 
ing backwards and forwards through the crust of the 
earth, taking all telegraphic circuits in their progress, and 
entirely stopping communization. Communication has 
been maintained only where it was possible to loop toge- 
ther two wires, so as to avoid the use of the earth alto- 
gether. The electric storm commenced on Thursday, but 
it reached its climax on Friday morning (November 17) 
between 10 and 11 a.m. The currents measured over 
50 milliampéres, which is five times greater than the 
ordinary working currents. They have repeated them- 
selves at intervals ever since, but have scarcely attained 
such an intensity as on Friday morning. 
Mr. Preece, whose experience in examining earth cur- 
rents now extends over a period cf thirty years, asserts 
that this storm was the most terrific he has ever observed. 
It was characterised on Friday by a rapid succession of 
alternate waves of great strength. 
Both the storm and the aurora seem to have extended 
to America; the Philadelphia correspondent of the 
Times telegraphs under date November 19 :— 
“The electrical storm which began to derange the 
telegraph wires on Friday last still continues, though 
with less intensity. It spread through Canada and the 
greater part of the United States, as far west as Utah. 
The electricians say that the disturbance was unlike any 
heretofore known, acting upon the wires in strong waves, 
which produced constant changes in the polarity of the 
current. A magnificent aurora appeared on Friday night 
and was visible at all points, except where clouds ob- 
scured it. Cold weather, with snow, accompanied the 
storm in many places.” 
We have received many letters on the auroral pheno- 
menon of Friday last ; as introductory to these we give 
the following communication from Mr, W. H. M. Christie, 
