872 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



zenith, and lasting beyond twilight. After the 11th August a blue sun was 

 seen at the Bermudas, and on the 15th at Mobile. In October at Washing- 

 ton, and at Alexandria in Virginia, there was a red sun-glow, and at mid- 

 day the sun was silver white. Again, Dr. Taylor (in his Australasian notes) 

 quotes Col. Stuart- Wortley to the effect that he has seen similar skies in 

 the Pacific, caused by the volcanic eruptions of South America : and Ed. 

 Whymper, on the slope of Cbimborazo. 3rd July, 1880, saw an eruption of 

 Cotopaxi, 65 miles away, which produced not only a blood-red sky, changing 

 to verdigris green and the colours of brick dust, copper, and shining brass, 

 but also a veritable green sun. 



The fact which I wish to bring out by all this evidence is that somehow 

 or other by the discharge of smoke, dust vapour, or gas — i.e., matter in one 

 of its three leading forms — from volcanic rents, the colours in the sky and 

 of the heavenly bodies have been and can be for a period of time, short or 

 long, very considerably changed. Here, therefore, we have an additional 

 reason besides that of sequence in point of time, for associating the late 

 manifestations with the outbreak at Krakatoa, and the very exceptional 

 violence and extent of the operation of that eruption enables us to see why 

 the sun-glows recently have been so remarkable and brilliant, and of 

 such long continuance. 



But that is not all. The year 1883 was as a whole wonderful in its 

 volcanic activity. The old fiery life is still throbbing in the earth's veins, 

 and as the Times recently remarked in a leading article, the lava catastrophe 

 clearly shows that our little world is not near its latter end yet. I find that 

 from March of last year almost up to the present time there has been a 

 series of earthquakes and eruptions such as mankind has probably never 

 before experienced in historic times, within a similarly brief period. By 

 the microseismometer, earth-tremors of the faintest character are duly re- 

 corded ; and this delicate instrument reveals the fact that for some time, 

 particularly in certain parts of the world, earth-tremors have been more than 

 usually continuous. I would ask you to carefully note the following list of 

 the eruptions and earthquakes during the period indicated. I have com- 

 piled it up to Christmas last from a journalistic summary of the events of 

 the year : — 



22nd March. Earthquakes in Sicily, eruption of Etna. 



26th March. Eruption of Hecla. 



12th April. Earthquakes in Tasmania begin, and last through year. 



20th May. First eruption of Krakatoa. 



22nd July. Earthquake in Ischia (6,000 killed ; felt even so far as 

 Wiesbaden). 



25th August. Great eruption of Krakatoa, 



