144 _ Miscellaneous Intelligence. 
rectly on the photosphere, or intermediately through a series of vortices 
or irregular movements propagated through the general atmosphere, 
should break its continuity and give rise to spots, conforming in respect 
of their abundance and magnitude to the required law of periodic re- 
currence. If the change of density from the maximum to the minimum 
region remote from the equator (by reason of the obliquity of the ring), 
and would give rise to a recommencement of the spots in comparatively 
high latitudes. 
If the section of such a ring as we have supposed at its aphelion were 
nil, the period of 11°11 years would be strictly carried out; the maxima 
city and 
period would follow a ‘fixed ratio. But if not, “the sveral: sats of the 
ring would not eee in precisely equal times—the period of 11:11 
years would be that of some dominant medial line, or common axis of 
all the sections in hick a considerable majority of its matter was con- 
tained—and the want of perfect coincidence of the other revolutions 
would more or less confuse without eet the law of periodicity, 
which, supposing the difference to comprised within narrow limits, 
might still stand out very prominently. Now, it might ha 
having a maximum or minimum . er and that their difference 
Lat times should be such as to bring round a conjunction of their 
maxima in 56 or any other scala: number of ears ; and thus 
and his series of greater and lesser maxima. 
e have given this extract to ee the value a single well-ascer- 
tained fact ; and we congratulate our author upon the possession of that 
sagacity which, by limiting his field, has enabled him to produce s 
facts. 
V. MISCELLANEOUS SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE, 
1. Medal of the Royal Society to Prof. William Thomson.—At the 
meeting of the ire Society of April 18th last, the Keith medal was 
ted to Pro 
the Society in 1847, has, during the last seventeen ye 
many valuable papers to the Society which have added 
of its ts transactions. 
