68 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 
ive. The reflecting prism is a piece of glass of such form as to allow a great 
portion of the sun’s light to pass entirely through and out of the telescope, and 
still reflect enough to form a good image, and give a fine view of the solar sur- 
face. Examined in this way when the air is very clear and calm, (which, though, 
is rather seldom, even when no clouds are visible,) the disk presents a delicate 
mottled or granular appearance as though there existed many thousands of fine 
freckles all over the fair face of the sun. Sometimes, indeed, it seems rather 
difficult to distinguish between the largest of these minute forms and the least of 
the solar spots. Besides these freckles I sometimes notice a very white curdled 
or brain-like appearance—possibly masses of ‘‘ rice grains,” etc.—to be described 
further on. 
In January two spots were observed in the fore part of the month; and I 
saw only two others—on the zoth; from which we may infer that the sun was 
nearly clear of spots all the month. JI saw none in February till the 14th, 
when a small group appeared, and vanished in a few days. Except a small spot 
March 14th, no more were seen till the 11th of April, when a group of five little 
spots and bright faculz appeared at the eastern edge of the sun. Next day the 
group containéd sixteen spots. On the 13th. nine. In one part of the group, 
several little spots had united into one, which was surrounded by bright penum- 
bra. By the 16th a group of twenty-five spots had formed, seven of which were 
large. On 20th they were mostly gone—only one remaining. It was near 5,000 
miles in diameter, and could be seen with a small spy-glass. It grew smaller, 
and disappeared at the western edge of the sun on the 23d. On 24th no spots, 
but the mottled appearance was very prominent—like innnmerable little specks 
over the sun’s face. No more spots this month. May 6th, bright facula at east 
edge. Next day a group of spots appeared there. On 8th and oth, about a 
dozen were seen—one of them pretty large. By 13th the group had dwindled 
to one little spot. No more till June ath, and very few till 27th, when a group 
of fourteen spots was visible, and in three days it numbered thirty-seven, It 
fell off to one by July 5th. In six days a group of twenty had formed. On 13th 
. one of them was near 8,ooo miles in diameter—nearly large enough to be seen 
without a telescope. It was surrounded with a wide penumbra. On 14th the 
sky was uncommonly clear and fine, and the general surface of the sun appeared 
of a whitish, curdled, or brain-like appearance. By 18th the cluster had vanished. 
It may be noted that the ordinary black spots never, or but very seldom, 
appear near the poles of the sun; but now one or two w/e spots were visible in 
the region of the north pole. On 26th the mottled and fine brain-hke appear- 
ance were very prominent. August 9th, several white spots were seen at inter- 
vals all round the sun’s margin. 
It will be understood that these white spots are entirely different from the 
common sun spots, which are always black or nearly so. Quite a showing of 
solar spots occurred on the 8th to 14th of August. On 12th a large group broke 
out near the west edge and soon disappeared. Another spot show occurred in 
