along with increased solar activity, as indicated by sun spots, prom- 

 inences, and other visible solar phenomena, this would tend to cause 

 a greater degree of contrast. For since if the solar temperature 

 were zero there would be zero contrast, the higher the temperature 

 the higher the contrast. But the sun is probably entirely gaseous, 

 and certainly its outer layers are so, and these may become more 

 turbid at times, just as the earth's atmosphere becomes more hazy 

 at some times than at others. Accompanying increased turbidity of 

 the solar atmosphere there would be found a diminished value of the 

 solar constant of radiation. But since the path of the solar ray is 

 oblique in the solar atmosphere near the edge of the sun, the path is 

 longer there and the effects of the turbidity would be greater at the 

 edges rather than at the center. Thus with the increase of turbidit}?^ 

 the contrast of brightness would increase accompanying a dimin- 

 ished value of the solar constant of radiation. In this way it ap- 

 pears that the two-fold variations of the sun which have been found 

 may be reasonably explained. — Scientijic American Monthly. 



Mr. William F. Alder, lately returned from an ethnological expe- 

 dition in the Orient and the South Sea Islands, lectured before the 

 Academy of Sciences and guests, at the Chamber of Commerce Hall 

 on the evening of Friday, July 30th. The auditorium was filled to 

 overflowing and the audience was well entertained by Mr. Alder's 

 chatty narratives of some of his experiences on the trip. He utilized 

 the screen to present some interesting pictures, illustrating types of 

 people encountered among the head hunters of New Guinea and 

 Borneo, their strange manners and customs. 



Mr. Alder left August 2nd with the expedition of the Southwest 

 Museum under the direction of Dr. Edward D. Jones, to gather 

 specim.ens of the fauna of the far North. Mr. Alder \m\\ confine his 

 attention to making moving picture films and photographs for the 

 Academy of Sciences. 



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