104 
WATOURE 
[Fune 3, 1886 
ness of food in times of plenty ; and make the dearness of 
food in times of scarcity appear far less serious than it 
really is. 
One of the most important practical results of this in- 
vestigation probably is, that it affords a certain amount of 
power to predict the variations of prices in the coming 
sunspot cycle. Of course, until all those fluctuations 
which appear at present to be subject to no law have been 
explained and reduced to order, if ever that should be 
possible, exact prediction in any individual case is alto- 
gether out of the question, but as there is a regularly | 
recurring eleven-yearly wave of prices running through 
the irregular fluctuations and following the sunspot wave 
in the manner defined by the curves, it is possible to form 
an estimate of the general level of prices in the different 
years of the coming sunspot cycle. There is thus some 
reason for believing that the present period of low prices 
following the last maximum of sunspots, which appears to 
have occurred about the end of 1882 or early in 1883, will 
not last very much longer, a brisk rise of prices being due 
in the Deccan and in Madras five years after the sunspot 
maximum, that is, in 1887 or 1888, and in more northern 
districts a year or two later. 
This estimate will, of course, be subject to modification 
if it should be found that the sunspot curve is declining 
towards its minimum more or less rapidly than usual. 
The last period of sunspots appears to have been some- 
what longer than the average, that is, about twelve years 
from the maximum of 1870 to that of 1882, instead of the 
normal length of almost exactly eleven years; and the 
coming minimum may possibly follow the last maximum | 
more quickly than usual. Fortunately, the sunspot 
observations are not the only indicators of this cosmical 
periodicity, for,as I have shown in a paper communicated 
to the Royal Society in 1884, the magnetic observations 
recorded at the Colaba Observatory afford far smoother 
and more definite indications of this periodicity than the 
sunspot observations ; and, what is even more important, 
the eleven-yearly magnetic variation precedes the sunspot 
variation by almost exactly six months, so that the 
magnetic indications are given half a year earlier than 
those of the sunspots. FREDERICK CHAMBERS 
Bombay, April 1886 
THE PHYSICAL APPEARANCE OF MARS 
IN 1886 
SERIES of observations of Mars were obtained 
here in March and April last with a 10-inch silver- 
on-glass reflector by With of Hereford. The powers 
employed were 252 and 475, but I found no advantage 
from the latter, which seemed too high for the purpose. 
As arule a single lens magnifying 252 was amply suffi- 
cient, though there were several occasions when a power 
of about 350 would have been a decided acquisition. 
The planet came to opposition on March 6, but during 
the first three weeks of March we had intense frosts, and 
it was not feasible to commence observations until to- 
wards the end of that month. The opposition magnitude 
of Mars was only 16’°6, so that as regards apparent 
diameter the planet was far from being favourably placed. 
At the opposition of 1877 the diameter was no less than 
295. But at the recent opposition the north hemi- 
sphere of the planet (which has not hitherto been so 
thoroughly examined as the south hemisphere, and does 
not exhibit so many striking features) was well presented 
for observation, the latitude of the centre of the disk 
being about 22° N. in March and April. 
The markings seen were both numerous and diversified. 
There is evidently a mass of detail on the planet, which 
is, however, most difficult to trace out in reliable charac- 
ters. Many faint lineaments reach the eye with sufficient 
distinctness to prove their existence, but they cannot be 
held steadily enough or with that perspicuity to allow of 
| be intelligible without drawings. 
the delineation of their outlines, or to enable their relative 
positions to be correctly assigned. Only the more pro- 
nounced features can be drawn satisfactorily. The small 
diameter of Mars during the recent observations has in 
a great measure induced this uncertainty as to the physi- 
cal aspect of the disk. Another cause is found in the 
rarity of really good telescopic images. Not only must the 
| atmosphere be peculiarly favourable to sharp definition, 
| but there must be an absence of wind. A complicated 
system of markings cannot be made out under the in- 
fluence of annoying vibrations. Moreover, this planet, 
considered as a telescopic object, is far less satisfactory 
than either Jupiter or Saturn, and this circumstance, 
with the other drawbacks alluded to, have given rise to 
that uncertainty, and to many of the discordances, in 
regard to the visible markings observed on his surface. 
My intention in the present paper is merely to describe 
ceneral results, as a particular description would scarcely 
b Between March 23 and 
April 30 the planet was examined on twenty-one evenings, 
| and a considerable number of sketches were completed. 
During the period mentioned the weather afforded an 
unusual number of clear nights, and whenever the seeing 
was fairly good the visible features were carefully noted, 
the results being afterwards compared with each other and 
with former work in the same direction. My drawings 
| correspond very closely amongst themselves, and there is 
a fair agreement in the main features with those depicted 
on the charts of Green, Schiaparelli, Knobel, and others. 
I have also compared them with the views given in Terby’s 
work on Mars and with Boeddicker’s drawings of 1881 
and 1884 (with Lord Rosse’s 3-foot reflector) published 
in the scientific Zyazsactions of the Royal Dublin 
Society, and find in many instances a substantial con- 
firmation. Some of the differences are larger than would 
have been considered probable, but experience has 
taught us that it is useless to expect uniformity in 
delineations of planetary details. 
During the five weeks over which my observations ex- 
tended I saw no conclusive evidences of physical changes 
in any of the markings. But the period was too limited, 
and the circumstances affecting the review altogether too 
unfavourable, to enable me to speak definitely on this 
point. The slight differences apparent amongst my 
drawings are merely such as were occasioned by changes 
in local atmospheric conditions. On a bad night faint 
markings, previously distinguished, would appear obliter- 
ated, and on thoroughly good nights I saw delicate 
appearances which were utterly beyond reach on less 
auspicious occasions. I am convinced that these changes 
in the character of the seeing, exercise great influence on 
the distinguishable features of a planet ; more so, in fact, 
than observers usually concede. Inferences of real 
change are sometimes hastily adopted in consequence, 
but they can only be substantiated after the most searching 
examination and the most convincing proofs. 
The exterior edges of many of the well-defined seas on 
Mars are very brilliant, and their boundaries very de- 
finite. These brilliant outlying borders remind one of 
the light areas often abutting on the dark spots of Jupiter, 
only in the case of Mars they are more extensive, more 
permanent, and altogether dissimilar in form. I may 
instance a particular case of this bright bordering in the 
immediate region east of the Kaiser Sea on Mars. On 
several occasions this was so striking as to vie with the 
bright patch about the north pole. This shimmering 
extends several degrees east of the dark outline of the sea, 
but is limited by a faint and irregularly-condensed mark- 
ing extending northwards, with an inclination east, from 
the knot in longitude 290° just east of the north extremity 
of the Kaiser Sea as figured in Mr. Green’s chart. This 
marking runs over a considerable tract, and its east ex- 
tension underlies Davies’ forked bay and Burton Bay, to 
both of which it is connected by faint ligaments of shade, 
