1868.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 275 



be kept up by the escaping gas, much as a pith ball by a jet of water, 

 till at last they would settle down in small irregularly broken por- 

 tions, much in the same way as a flocculent precipitate. 



This hypothesis will, I think, explain the existence and phenomena 

 of the protuberances. Where the gas (generally I should imagine 

 Hydrogen) comes from, is not the point. I believe it perfectly certain 

 that it is somehow disengaged from the very solar surface or near it ; 

 for it was present in the Great Horn. From what I have heard of the 

 spectral examinations by others, they too saw in every spectrum its 

 mark, though it was not identified (of course I am speaking of hand 

 spectroscopes). I think, therefore, I may safely assume its general 

 presence from the usual colour of the prominences. — 



The President then asked Dr. Stoliczka to read his note on The 

 Total Eclipse of the \%th August, 1868, as observed by the Austrian 

 Expedition at Aden. 



Dr. Stoliczka said that he had received several reports on the 

 above subject from the members of the Austrian expedition, but as 

 the main features of that remarkable phenomenon have been repeat- 

 edly described, he would only draw the attention of the Meeting to a 

 few observations of more general interest. This would add a little to the 

 varied information already published in our Proceedings. The 

 Austrian Government, upon a recommendation of the Academy of 

 Science, sent three officers to Aden, Dr. E. Weiss, Lieut. Riha and Dr. 

 Ph. Oppolzer. Aided by the most valuable and very kind assistance of 

 General Russel, and several other J£nglish officers at Aden, the members 

 of the expedition completed all their arrangements in due time. 



The weather at Aden on several days before the eclipse was rather 

 unfavourable and not very promising. The mornings were cloudy as 

 were also the evenings, while during the middle of the day the heat 

 was very great. On the morning of the 18th August, the clouds 

 round the sun dispersed only a few minutes before the first contact of 

 the moon's shadow with the sun took place. 



The work of the observation was divided in the following manner. 

 Dr. Weiss undertook to observe (with a refractor of 6 inches) the 

 corona and the position of the protuberances ; Lieut. Riha conducted 

 the spectral observations; and Dr. Oppolzer the luminal* changes in the 

 protuberances, especially at their contact with the corona. In all 



