306 Proceedings of Learned Societies. 



the camera. In two taken on the 4th of August, the great spot 

 (20,000 miles in diameter) appears on the edge, and a very distinct 

 notch is seen, giving evidence that the spots are cavities ; but ob- 

 servations and measurements tend to show that this evidence is not 

 conclusive, for there was still a remaining portion of photosphere 

 between the spot and the edge. The phenomena shown in these 

 autographs appear to confirm the views of Sir J. Herschel, that the 

 two parallel regions of the sun where the spots appear, are like the 

 trojfical regions of the earth, where tornadoes and cyclones occur. 

 The faculas seem to show that the tropical regions of the sun are 

 highly agitated, and that immense waves of luminous matter are 

 thrown up, between which appear the dark cavities of the spots, 

 whose sloping sides are seen in the penumbras. Other analogies 

 between solar spots and earthly storms were pointed out, and refe- 

 rence was made to the glimpses of the structure of the sun exhi- 

 bited by Mr. Nasmyth as confirming the above views. 



One of the most important and popular papers read before the 

 Association was that of Mr. Glaisher on his recent Balloon Ascents. 

 Mr. Glaisher stated, that the first ascent was from Wolverhampton 

 on July 17. Owing to the force of the wind, considerable difficulty 

 was experienced in the preliminary arrangements. The ascent took 

 place at 9'43 a.m., and at once the balloon was quiescent. The 

 swaying to and fro had ceased in an instant, and I at once proceeded 

 to fix the instruments. At the height of 4000 feet we entered a 

 stratum of clouds of nearly a mile in thickness. A height of more 

 than 10,000 feet had been passed before I could put all the instru- 

 ments in working order. The sky was of a deep Prussian-blue 

 colour, without a cloud of any kind upon its surface. At starting, 

 the temperature of the air was 59° ; at 4000 feet, 45° ; and descended 

 to 26° at 10,000 feet; and then there was no variation of temperature 

 between this height and 13,000 feet. During the time of passing- 

 through this space, Mr. Coxwell and myself both put on additional 

 clothing, feeling certain that we should experience a temperature 

 below zero before we reached an altitude of five miles ; but, to my 

 surprise, at the height of 14,500 feet, the temperature, as shown by 

 all the sensitive instruments, was 31° ; and at each successive 

 reading, up to 19,500 feet, the temperature increased, and was here 

 43°. When we had fallen somewhat, the temperature again began 

 to decrease with extraordinary rapidity, and was 16°, or 27° less 

 than it was twenty-six minutes before. At this time — about eleven 

 A.M. — we were at a height of five miles, when we began to descend. 

 Immediately afterwards we entered a dense cloud, which proved to 

 be no less than 8000 feet thick, and in passing through which the 

 balloon was invisible from the car. 



The most important ascent took place from Wolverhampton on 

 the 5th of September. It commenced at 1*3 p.m. ; the tempera- 

 ture of the ah- was 59° ; at the height of one mile it was 39°, and 

 shortly afterwards we entered a cloud of about 1100 feet in thick- 

 ness, in which the temperature fell to 36^°, and the air was satu- 

 rated with moisture. We reached two miles in height at 1*21, 

 three miles at T28, and four miles at 139. In ten minutes more 



