250 Scientific Intelligence. 
7. Preliminary Note on the Substances which produce the Chro- 
mospheric Lines ;* by J. Norman Locxyzr, F.R.S.-—Hitherto, 
when observations have been made of the lines visible in the sun’s 
lines ; of these I only need for the present refer to the following: 
b; ascribed by Angstrom and Kirchhoff to iron and nickel. 
: - = Angstrém to magnesium and iron. 
5268 by Angstrém to cobalt and iron. 
5269“ “  ealcium and iron. 
5235. =.“ * cobalt and iron. 
DOT... * * nickel. 
4215 “ “ ealcium, but to strontium by myself. 
5416 an unnamed line. 
levels. In this way the vertical currents in the solar atmosphere, 
both ascending and descending, intense absorption in sun-spots, 
their association with the facule, and the apparently continuous 
spectrum of the corona and its structure, find an easy solution. 
We are yet as far as ever from a demonstration of the cause of 
ing layer in stars of the type of Sirius and @ Lyre. 
If it be conceded that the existence of these lines in the chro- 
mosphere indicates the existence of basic molecules in the sun, It 
follows that as these lines are also seen generally in the spectra of 
two different metals in the electric are, we must be dealing with 
the bases in the are also. 
cing various spectra. Ce 
among whom are Stefan and Van de Waals have suppused the 
existence of an attracting force between the molecules, and also 4 
repulsive one arising from an ether envelope which surrounds the 
molecule. The rotation and oscillation of the atoms in the mole- 
* Paper read at the Royal Society, London. 
i a a he 
