TEE KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 455 



Prof. Snow presented lists of the "Insects of Wallace County ;" also of 

 the Colorado lepidoptera. 



Prof. F. W. Bardwell, of the State University, read a paper on "Illus- 

 trations cf Nebular Hj-pothosis." He said: Accepting the nebular hy- 

 pothesis of the origin of the solar system, it has been assumed that there 

 must have been an original motion of rotation, otherwise the solar system 

 in condensing and contracting must have formed a single large sun without 

 any planets revolving about it. 



The question arises, whence this original rotation. It was shown that a 

 nebulous mass of matter moving in space with a simple forward motion, 

 must in obeying the forces of attraction from other masses of matter in space, 

 become deflected and gradually acquire some rotary motion. 



The actual velocity of rotation of the sun about its axis, and the orbital 

 velocities of the planets serve as a means of estimating the original rotary 

 velocity of the nebulous mass of the solar system. Such computations in- 

 dicate a velocity much greater than seems to be possible by the cause of 

 rotation first named. A second possible and probable cause of this original 

 velocity of rotation was stated to be the collision of two such nebulous 

 masses in space. 



The necessary result of such, an incident would be to develop a con- 

 siderable amount of angular velocity. The remarkable appearance of 

 several of the nebulous masses visible through the telescope is precisely 

 that of two clouds meeting from opposite directions, the portions of which 

 commingle and move spirally around on an axis. 



The question of the probable existence of planets outside of Neptune 

 v^as also suggested as connected with the nebular hypothesis ; but though 

 some considerations were named as throwing some light on the question, no 

 jiositive answer could yet be given. 



The evening lecture was on "The Chemistry of the Sun," by Prof. Geo. 

 B. Patrick, of the State University. He said, solar chemistry is a new^ 

 thing. Until recently nothing was known of the chemical composition of 

 the sun ; but now w^e have, by means of the spectroscope, determined the 

 exact composition of the great solar body. He then exhibited a spectro- 

 scope and described the instument. It was invented about 1802. By this 

 instrument it is shown that the vapor of different metals exhibits a line of 

 a certain peculiarity. Applied to observations of the sun it is found that 

 this body contains vapors of the following metals : Sodium, barium, cal- 

 cium, magnesium, manganese, iron, chronium, cobalt, zinc, nickel, copper 

 and probably gold. The gases hydrogen and oxygen are also present. 



From the discoveries made the theory has been derived that the sun is 

 surrounded by an atmosphere composed of the metals named converted by 

 heat into a condition of rarified vapor, and that the sun itself is only a denser 

 vapor of the same materials. 



He spoke of the solar prominences, first observed during the eclipses of 

 the sun in 1848, and afterwards in the eclipses of 1868. By these observa- 



