458 Astronomical Society. 



ring, and that the exterior portion was the less bright." {Mim. 

 1715, p. 13,) Short told me that he observed still more singular 

 phenomena with his large telescope of 12 feet. 



The breadth of the ansse, or extremities of the ring, was, according 

 to him, divided into two parts, — an inner portion without any break 

 in the illumination, and an outer, divided by several lines concen- 

 tric with the circumference ; which would lead to a belief that there 

 are several rings in the same plane. 



Delambre and Biot severally state, that Short saw the outer ring 

 divided, probably on the authority of Lalande cited above. There is 

 a note to the same purpose in Brewster's edition of Ferguson's Astro- 

 nomy, but without reference to the source from which it is taken. 



In December 1813, at Paris, Professor Quetelet saw the outer 

 ring divided, with the achromatic telescope of 10 inches aperture, 

 which was exhibited at the exposition. He mentioned this the fol- 

 lowing day to M. de la Place, who observed, that " those, or even 

 more divisions, were conformable to the system of the world." 



But, on the other hand, the division of the outer ring was not 

 seen by Sir William Herschel (Phil. Trans. 1792), nor by Mr. Her- 

 schel in 1826, nor by M. Struve in the same year; and on several 

 occasions when the atmospheric conditions were most favourable, it 

 has not been seen by Captain Kater. 



" It has been remarked by Sir William Herschel, by M. Struve, 

 and by most persons who have observed Saturn, that the exterior 

 ring is much less brilliant than the interior. May not this want of 

 light in the outer ring arise from its having a very dense atmo- 

 sphere? and may not this atmosphere in certain states admit of the 

 divisions of the exterior ring being seen, though, under other cir- 

 cumstances, they remain invisible ? 



" With respect to the form of the edge of the inner ring of 

 Saturn next to the planet, the appearance under favourable cir- 

 cumstances is such as to leave no doubt on my mind of its being 

 rounded." 



2. Occultations observed at Biggleswade with the Society's Wol- 

 laston telescope. By T. Maclear, Esq., member of the Society. 



3. On the Comet discovered at Marseilles in the constellation 

 Equuleus. By James South, Esq. President. 



4. Notice of the performance of the 20-feet achromatic, May 14, 

 1830. 



" Georgium Sidus. — At half-past two, placed the 20-feet achro- 

 matic on the Georgium Sidus; saw it with 346, a beautiful planetary 

 disk; not the slightest suspicion of any ring, either perpendicular 

 or horizontal ; but the planet three hours east of the meridian, and 

 very low. Morning beautiful, but moonlight very strong, and the 

 moon within three degrees of the planet. 



" Jupiter (at a quarter before three) with 252 and 346, literally 

 covered with belts, and the diameters of his satellites might have 

 been as easily measured as himself. One came from behind the 

 body, and the contrast of colour with that of the planet's limb was 

 striking. 



" Mars 



