Notice of Scientific Societies. 369 
The luminous circles had much the appearance of a lunar 
rain-bow: that part of the small circle W. of the true sun, 
more bright than the rest: the extreme north and south 
portions of the two largest circles very dim—eastern extrem 
ity of the small circle somewhat flattened. 
2. Communicated by Mr. Leonard Pierce. 
Explanation of a Diagram of luminous circles about the sun, 
seen at Millbury, Mass. August, }4, 1825. 
S the sun; AB circle having the sun for its centre, and be- 
ing about the size of the common halo around that luminary ; 
CD an elipsis running in about the direction here represented ; 
EF alarge circle at the west of the sun over the disk of which 
the circumference of this circle passed. The wind was 
in the west and the sky was obscured by Cirrose clouds which 
moved very slowly from west to east. But one stratum of 
clouds could be distinguished. Where the clouds were the 
most dense the colours were the brightest, except the points 
GH where the Ellipsis intersected the circle, it was uniformly 
bright and had nearly the appearance of a parhelion. Where 
there were no clouds there were no colours. The colours, ex- 
cept at the points GH, were like those of the rain-bow, but 
‘not very distinctly marked. 
-. This phenomenon I first observed about eight o’clock in 
the morning, and it continued till past eleven. 
Art, XX.—wNotice of Scientific Societies in the United States. 
Communicated for this Journal. 
Tue following enumeration of Scientific Societies in the 
United States, was originally drawn up, at the request of a 
foreign correspondent, who was desirous of information res- 
pecting the progress of the Natural Sciences in this country. It 
must be considered of course as very imperfect, but it will 
nevertheless be sufficient to show that no inconsiderable 
share of our attention has been devoted to philosophical in- 
quiries. - 
Considered ina geographical order, we shall mention first, 
Tue East Inpta Marine Society. Salem, Mass. This 
society was founded in 1799, andincorporated in 1801. 
Vor. X.—No. 2. Aq 
