274 Star Colours. 



activity of a solar volcano, while at other times a volcano of 

 large opening is comparatively quiescent. 



During the last two months (preceding 6th March) , M. 

 Chacornac has remarked that spots entering the visible hemi- 

 sphere remained quiet while in the margin of the disc, became 

 active as they progressed from the margin, and gradually 

 closed after passing a particular central region. This action 

 is, he observes, in conformity with the remarks of the President 

 of our Astronomical Society concerning the action of the 

 planet Yenus.* 



With regard to faculse, M. Chacornac observes, that not- 

 withstanding what he has recently written, " it is certain that 

 they arrange themselves in long trains converging towards an 

 active centre of eruption, like immense rivers suddenly formed 

 and proceeding directly or by branch.es from all directions. It 

 is no longer doubtful, from the nature of their configuration, 

 considered with reference to the solar volcanoes, that they are 

 currents of photospheric matter pouring themselves continually 

 into the cavity of a spot, whose intermittent eruptions con- 

 tinually disperse them.'"' He adds, that they have a tendency 

 to form in the direction of meridians rather than of latitude 

 parallels. 



STAR COLOUES. 



Few objects in the whole round of nature exercise a deeper 

 fascination on the mind than coloured stars. Analogy leads 

 us to regard each star as the centre of a system more or less 

 resembling that aggregation of planets around a central sun, 

 to which we belong. A single star of conspicuous colour 

 invites us to speculate upon the effects its richly-tinted 

 beams may have upon the animal and vegetable life that 

 we conjecture lives and thrives upon the worlds revolving 

 around it ; and though astronomy, calling to her aid the 

 kindred sciences of chemistry, botany, and biology, can afford 

 but slender hints concerning the probable nature of the herbs 

 that may cover the surface of distant globes, of the form and 

 hue of the flowers that may adorn their changing seasons, of 

 the trees that may compose their forests, or of the creatures 

 that may luxuriate in .their sunshine or their shade, still our 

 fancy loves to picture the unknown scenes, and to cherish the 

 hope that our spirits may one day be able to traverse the 



* The President of the Society was speaking of the evidence on this subject 

 obtained by the researches of Mr. Balfour Stewart. 



