200 The Planet Saturn. 



fainter than division, probably not reacting across B ; / black, 

 regularly curved on B and 0, and not projecting at division as 

 last year [opening of ring less] : S. 0. 14, p very faint ; f 

 black, broadest at division and changing direction there, with a 

 corner or notch, close to which division is darker : B. II. p seems 

 darker and larger than Feb. 12, crossing B ; /pretty regularly 

 curved, a perfectly black spot in it where it meets division, not 

 so dark elsewhere ; this has the effect of breaking the curve. S. 

 limb undistorted: S. 0. Mar. 4, p very faint, all across B, 

 slightly concave, and broad at division, which is plainly seen 

 above it [and darker, in diagram] . / pretty uniform, but a small 

 break at division, and 2 near apex. On this side of B " some- 

 thing that I cannot make out to my satisfaction. It seems as 

 if there were a faint penumbra partly adhering to the division 

 of rings, and partly to the shadow ':" S. 0. /black and more 

 regular than usual ; p a very narrow ghost-like shade, of the 

 usual outline, all across B, broadest and darkest near division. 

 " I was much impressed with the fact that the outline was 

 preserved perfectly, while the intensity of the shadow was very 



feeble :" B. II. See Fig. 7. 16, p darker than before; / not 

 perfectly regular : S. C. p by no means as dark as f, which 

 is black : B. II. 26, p unaltered, / extends further E ; its junc- 

 tion with division clear and sharp : S. C. Apr. 16, distor- 

 tion of/ on B suspected, but definition bad: B. II. 18, atmo- 

 sphere bad, but / seems to be becoming concave on B again : 

 B. II. 25, p distinctly visible over further half of B ; / slightly 

 concave on B ; its breadth at division equals that of A at axis 

 minor ; at the crossing there seems a dark spot : B. II.* 



Thus far extend our facts. Whall shall we say in explana- 

 tion of them ? Can we charge them upon personal or instru- 

 mental equation? It seems not possible, since, in the main, 

 they are agreed upon in England, and Italy, and Malta, and 

 India, and the United States. Some of the most singular 

 statements, it is true, come from America alone. But as they 



* Schwabe during this spring, noticed a strong convexity of the shadow on 

 both A and B : meaning, apparently, the reversal of the outline. 



