234 Scientific Intelligence. 
From the foregoing it will be evident that, 1, The artificial agent 
ual, a concerted action in the a rant of the remedial agent in 
any given locality will be found necessary. 
also recommend the inteoduction ‘of the English sparrow into 
the Southern a and — legal protection to insectiv- 
bir 
orous birds. nce e the war there has been pe much ignorant use 
of gun on the rt of the negroes. Adi the birds should be 
protected as much as possible, for many specien i not usually con- 
pia catia are yet found, during certain seasons of the 
year, to live on insects. 
III. Astronomy. 
1. The Transit of Venus, Dec. 8, 1874.—The ssreohat ee 
tional information respecting t the late transit has been 
since the publication of the last No. of the Journal. The stations 
are arranged in the order of latitude 
In the Northern hemisphere. 
1. Viadivostok. Lat. nod 1, ong. 8h. gon Prof. Asaph Hall, of the U. > 
Nav .. Lbeecy rat had ¢ ares. of the American a at Viadivo' 
The first contact was Sty well bbbarved: but the haze was so thick as ‘o 
renter te “tapoaaltll to take plistbuieiain at that moment. The time of 
second contact was noted with accuracy, and some p or were taken 
that were tolerably satisfactory. The duration of the tra . 
during which period the haze dispersed three times, allowing the photo- 
tty accurately urth co of 
entirely invisible. Thirteen photographs were taken and a the exact time 
each was noted. Some of these are well defined, but others are faint t and 
f uncertai ; 
2. Pekin. Lat. 29° 54’, long. 7h. 46m. E. At the ly ae Kg four contacts 
were observed as follows: first 21h. 32m. 42s. ; ; third 1h. 50m. 
vu: h. i bree 
transit o e ‘ 
of Venus over eight threads, the second limb of Venus over eight per 
and the second limb of the sun over six threads. The difference of ee 
ation of the upper limb of the sun and both limbs of venus was pores 
i i first and d con 
: — Label 
about lm. 45s. later than the American Almanac computations and @ 
3m. 30s, later than the English eo nierethag The third co tact occurred 
near the time of the American comp 
