42 MEMORIE DELLA SOCIETÀ' 



After such a sad combination, the only hope remaning was to observe the spe- 

 ctra of the cusps after totality : but the clonds persistently remained ìd front of. 

 ns and the sun only showed itself occasionally, but just for a few seconds and 

 with haze. Only at 20 miimtes before the end of the Eclipse the clouds passed 

 away towards the east and the Sun carne out clear. The phase was already too 

 sraall, but I immediately directed the spectroscope to the upper cusp placiug the 

 slit normal at the edge of the Sun ; in this coudition when the cusp entered a 

 very beautiful band or bandle of rays was seen, as in sraall telescopes, but wea- 

 ker, and laterally the chroraosphere was liner than in the moruing with full sun- 

 light, that is to say much more detailed, and I would even say higher. At this 

 moment narrowing the slit I examined ali the spectrum and was able to see the 

 reversed lines of magnesiam 1474 K. and the 4 ordinary between b and F that 

 is to say the same lines as are seen at Palermo almost every day; which shows 

 how many things might have been seen in the cusp a little before and a little 

 after totality. 



The end of the Eclipse was noted by me with the spectroscope at the following 

 time by Wiffin, the seconds being couuted by uiy raechanic Caguato. 



End of the Eclipse 2" 31 m 45 8 



Correction » 15 54.7 



2 47 39.7 



M» r Loder and Pedier observed the end of the Eclipse by projectiou with the 

 same telescopes as Avere used for the commencement and they noted the following 

 tiines with the chronometer 1222 



End of the Eclipse 8" 28 m 59 8 



Correction 5 40 42 



End 2 48 17 Caniorta mean lime 



that is to say 38 seconds after me ; this difference is similar to that fouud at 

 Muddapur between the contact of Venus observed with the spectroscope and in 

 the ordinary way. If bad weather has prevented us from making any observations 

 of totality I thrust that our colleagnes in Siam will have had a complete success, 

 but in any case Governement should not decline to give assistance to such expe- 

 ditios, and I am convinced that photography, the spectroscope and direct obser- 

 vation can stili give very important results on the physical constitution of the Sun. 



Calcutta, 21 aprii 1875. 



P. Tacchini 



