1870.] The Eclipse of August 7, 1869. 447 



photograph of the totality. In preparing this illustration the litho- 

 grapher has been very successful in copying my sketch, the plate 

 as given recalling the protuberance to my mind with great fresh- 

 ness and power. The flaky structure of the protuberance I have 

 endeavoured to indicate by a deeper tint of orange running diago- 

 nally across the flame. The southern end is more compact than 

 that turned towards the equator, which latter breaks up into 

 several smaller independent clouds, between which, and suspended 

 fully 10,000 miles above the solar surface, projects the tapering 

 point of the " anvil." A casual glance at the sketch impresses one 

 with the idea of a down-rush of the glowing matter from the 

 southern end to the " anvil " point. 



The details of the termination of this tapering end are wholly 

 from my notes, which record that this part of the protuberance 

 was composed of "fibrous lines of flame" apparently in motion 

 and emitting a tremulous light. I have now a vivid recollection 

 of the impressions produced upon my mind by this portion of the 

 phenomenon which riveted my attention for some moments. In 

 the photographs the tapering end of the protuberance terminates 

 in a misty ball, which is what we should expect if the fine lines 

 revealed by the telescope were really in motion. 



One word regarding the corona. By a slight movement of my 

 instrument its limits were brought into view, and its extent quickly 

 indicated on diagrams previously prepared. At the same time I 

 indicated by two heavy pencil-marks the positions of certain bands, 

 or intervals, in the light of the corona on opposite sides of the 

 moon's disc. These dark intervals deserve a passing notice. 



In my coloured sketch of the corona, made immediately after 

 the eclipse, and which accompanies my report published by the 

 Washington Naval Observatory, I have indicated the positions 

 and character of these bands. The absorption bands of the solar 

 spectrum occurred to me at the time as an illustration of the 

 delicate striations in these portions of the corona. In the case of 

 one gap a multitude of fine violet lines were compressed into a 

 space of about 10° in width, forming, to my mind, one of the most 

 beautiful features of the eclipse. The same striated appearance 

 was noticed in other regions of the corona, though in a less striking 

 degree. 



These apparent gaps in the corona's light I judged to be 

 opposite elevated portions of the chromosphere, from the fact that 

 there was a similar diminution of light above the great protuber- 

 ance, as my sketches show. This point was not carefully examined, 

 however, from want of time. On my return from the south, in 

 February last, it occurred to me to compare my sketch of the 

 corona with the diagram of protuberances accompanying Professor 

 Mayers report in the October number of the 'Journal of the 



