Pec. 8, 1870} 

of the equatorial was stopped, the luminous cloud took 16°7 
seconds of time to traverse the slit which was placed parallel 
to the hour-circle. This indicates a length of at least 130,000 
miles without allowing anything for the foreshortening resulting 
from the nearness of the sun’s limb. 
Fe. C. 

/ 
i 
Ay 



| 
246 Rol 
By five o’clock the clouls had nearly disappeared ; a little 
rack alone remained. 
At 4.20 I examined the spot with the equatorial, using the 
ordinary sclar eye-piece. Nothing remarkable was to be s ‘en— 
not the mciest trace of the enormous masses of incandescent gas. 

. . . | 
Tt will be interesting to learn whether the earth responded 
to this magnificent eruption on the sun by any magnetic storm. 
I may add that in the telescope this group of spots, from their | 
P eae Lee | Jardin d' Acclimatation have been sold and slaughtered for food, 
first appearance, exhibited a strong yellowish tinge, which ap- 

peared to overlie all the central portion of the cluster. So 
conspicuous was it that several persons, unaccustomed to astro- 
nomical observation, noticed it at once before I called their 
attention to it. The penumbra of the group was unusually faint. 
Hanover, N.H., October 3 C. A. YOUNG 


NOTES 
THE first detachment of the Eclipse Expedition for Spain and 
Algiers started from Portsmouth in H.M.S. Urgent on Tuesday 
morning ; the Sicilian party followed overland yesterday evening. 
An error crept into the names of the party in our list published 
geraeare ig Mr. E saerace . | ? 
last week. Professor Roscoe’s assistant is Mr. Edward Ernest terminated its existence on Monday, Nov. 27. 
Bowen, M.A., late Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. 
AT one of the most recent sittings of the I’rench Institute a 
communication was made by M. Faye on the intended departure 
of M. Janssen to join the Eclipse Expedition. This celebrated 
astronomer was to leave Paris ina balloon constructed for his 
private use at the expense of the French Government, and which 
_will also carry a telescope, constructed in eight weeks by 
the most skilful workmen in Paris, and of the capacity of 2,000 
cubic metres. It will be fitted up with a new kind of valve, 
invented by M. de Fonvielle, and which was not quite ready 
NATURE 
113 

| copper-plates : 

| state still continues critical. 
| 5 : : 
remain at Harrow for at least some weeks, but is progressing 

when that gentleman left Paris. According to every proba- 
bility M. Janssen will ascend with M. Totnier, one of the 
passengers in the ‘Pole Nord,” but taking the management of the 
balloon under his own care. The telescope was put in hand 
avery few days after the 4th of September. The Governmeut 
appeared so anxious to show the interest taken in the matter that 
| they did not lose a single day after they came into power in 
| fitting up this expedition. 
The expenses of the construction of 
the telescope were incurred by the Bureau des Longitudes. 
THE French Académie des Sciences has held its sittings regularly 
since the commencement of the siege, and the Comptes rendus 
has been published regularly every week. Every sitting is 
| reported fully, and several numbers have had even more than the 
average number of pages. A large part of them is devoted to 
military science and to ballooning, The scheme put forward 
by M. Dupuy de ?Ome was fully discussed and illustrated by 
an article contributed to the Presse, by Mr. 
Giffard, the celebrated engineer, when reporting upon his aérial 
experiments as much as twenty years ago, has been reprinted. It 
| was shown that Dupuy de l’Ome’s experiment was almost of the 
same nature, and the Académie des Sciences has apologised for 
not publishing it in proper time. M. Dumas and M. Elie de 
| Beaumont, although members of the former senate, now act in 
their capacity of sécrefaires perpeluels of the Academy. M. Leverrier 
has not appeared at any of the sittings. M. Chasles is most punctual 
in his attendance. 
Arts et Meétiers, and are to be given at the College de France. 
Lectures are given at the Conservatoire des 
No lectures have been given this session at the Sevbonne. Since 
the commencement of the siege, a few numbers only have been 
issued of the Aévue des Cours Scientifiques; Les Mondes and 
Cosmos have been entirely suspended, 
A LARGE number of the animals at the ¥ardix des Plantes and 
even the bears having now been sacrificed. The trees in the 
| latter garden have been almost entirely cut down either for char- 
coal or for the necessities of the defence. 
WE are very glad to be able to report that Sir Roderick 
Murchison has gained strength during the past week, though his 
Prof. Balfour Stewart will have to 
as satisfactorily as possible, considering the nature of his injuries. 
THE ratepayers of Marylebone have done good service to 
| Science in electing Miss Garrett, M.D., and Prof. Muxley to 
the London School Board, first and second on the poll, the 
former by a triumphant majority over every other candidate. It 
their example is generally followed throughout the country, we 
may anticipate great things in the future for the scientific educa- 
| tion of the country. 
Owtnc to Professor Tyndall’s absence with the Eclipse Ex- 
pedition, the first conversazione at the London Institution, an- 
| nounced for Dec. 21st, is postponed till Jan. 25th, when he will 
deliver his lecture on Dust and Disease. 
WE regret to learn that the North London Naturalists’ Society 
It has been estab- 
lished for about six years, and was for some time carried on with 
spirit ; but the interest in it has for some time been on the decline, 
and it was considered advisable to bring it to a close. We 
understand that it is in contemplation to form another society 
in its place, which only actual workers will be invited to join. 
When we consider how many useful bodies of this description 
are scattered throughout the country, it seems strange that a 
similar one cannot be kept afloat in London ; but the fate of the 
North London Club, preceded as it was by the collapse of the 
Society of Amateur Botanists, and of the West End Naturalists’ 
