=a 
REPORTS FROM THE SECTIONS. 239 
this difference has vanished ; the northern equatorial belt appears 
in both descriptions of telescope of a bright coppery red, and the 
southern half ochre-yellow, inclining sometimes to grey. 
here is something at present unaccountable here; for if the 
diversity of tint exhibited by the reflector and refractor two years 
since appeared inexplicable, their agreement this year mal tt 
still more strange. It would be interesting at future oppositions 
to make similar comparisons, which might eventually throw some 
light on the subject. 
Referring again to the large diagram, and comparing it with 
the drawings of this year, we notice at once the alteration under- 
gone by the equatorial belt ; in 1876 it invariably presented itself 
as a broad band traversed in several places by narrow dark streaks ; 
last year what was before the central portion of this band, was the 
brightest part of the planet’s disk, the broad band had split into 
two belts. This appearance is still preserved, the northern band 
be much more quiescent, the chan s that occur are slower, and 
the same portion of the belt presents generally but little alteration 
after the lapse of several days. One bright red spot, referred to 
by Mr. Russell in the Herald, now more than a month ago, still 
appears in the same place, having undergone no alteration of 
pe or position ; it corresponds very much to a marking we 
called the “ Fish” in 1876, being on the same, viz., the south 
side of the equatorial belt, the only difference being that in that 
ear it was incorporated in the belt, from which it is at present 
well detached ; its shape is exactly the same, though it is now 
reversed, the preceding end tapering off, instead of the following. 
_ The north pole of the planet, in 1876, appeared in the reflector 
In nights of good definition, of a fine sea green tint. I have 
looked for this colour this year in the refractor, but have not been 
able to see it; the northern shading has always appeared light 
, and on one or two occasions 
