42 The Solar Eclipse of August last. [Jan., 



Mr. Kendall called out the minutes at each 60-seconds call of Mr. 

 Bock, and wrote it on the fillet. He also had charge of the chrono- 

 graph, and started it when Dr. Mayer called " clock," while, at the 

 same signal, Mr. Eock began the registration of seconds. 



Dr. Mayer had laid out the following programme of work : — First 

 to take in rapid succession, beginning 10 seconds before the computed 

 time of first contact, a series of five photographs. Secondly, one just 

 before second contact, one just after second contact, as many as pos- 

 sible during totality, one just before the end of totality, and another 

 just after the sun reappeared. Thirdly, to take again a series in 

 rapid succession about the end of the eclipse. Fourthly, during 

 partial phase, to take a picture every four or five minutes. 



When the chronometer marked 12 h. 48 m., Mr. Eock began to 

 count and register the times on the fillet. Every one was at his 

 post, the lanterns lighted, and nothing could be heard but the count 

 and tap of the chronograph. At 12 h. 49 m. 45 s. the first photograph 

 was taken, and following at intervals of from 10 to 12 seconds five 

 perfect pictures were secured. The contact is first visible on the 

 third. Photographs were now leisurely taken at intervals of about 

 four minutes, until twelve plates in all were taken. 



About five minutes before totality, Mr. Willard removed the 

 diaphragm of two inches aperture, which was used during partial 

 phase, and exposed the full aperture of the object-glass, whilst Dr. 

 Mayer changed the slide with •0224-inch slot for the one which 

 admitted the whole beam at once on the plate in the camera. 



The order was given to prepare the plates. The first plate was 

 taken at 13 h. 51m. 39-15 s., or 7 seconds before the time of second 

 contact as observed by Professor Coffin. The slide was soon reset 

 for another exposure, and as Mr. Willard desired the first plate of 

 totality to be exposed five seconds, Dr. Mayer kept on counting 

 zero, zero, zero, with the taps of the chronograph, until striking the 

 upper trigger at zero, he counted one, two, three, four, five, when 

 the lower trigger was struck and the plate removed. 



Counting the first plate, taken seven seconds before second con- 

 tact, six photographs were taken in 2 m. 3 s. After the sixth was 

 removed there still remained 50 s. of total phase. There was a delay 

 in the plate. The observer grew impatient ; he called plate ! plate ! ! 

 but, alas, it was found impossible to manipulate more than six 

 plates in two minutes and three seconds. The store had been used 

 up too rapidly, and so they did not succeed in getting an impression 

 just before the sun came forth. The next plate was taken 29 2 

 seconds after third contact, and is a valuable photograph of a thin 

 crescent, with the cusps sharply cut. ( 



Dr. Mayer describes the appearances during totality in the fol- 

 lowing words: — "About 15 minutes before totality it became so 

 cool that I was obliged to put on my coat. A minute or two before 



