1868.J Prof. Nordenskiold on the Swedish Arctic Expedition, 91 



VII. " Further particulars of the Swedish Arctic Expedition, in a 

 Letter addressed to the President, by Prof. Nordenskiold." 

 Communicated by the President. Received October 15, 1868. 



Kobbe Bay, Sept. 16th, 1868. 



Sir, — In my last letter from Stockholm I promised to send you, with 

 the returning naturalists, a detailed relation of the first scientific part of 

 the Swedish Arctic Expedition of 1868; but unfortunately our last coal- 

 ship, with which five of our fellow travellers, with the rich geological, 

 zoological, and botanical collections, made during this season in the arctic 

 regions, return to Tromso, and which gives us the last occasion of com- 

 municating with Europe, leaves this harbour in some hours, and that makes 

 it impossible for me to keep my promise. However, a detailed report 

 will immediately be sent to you by one of the returning naturalists, Dr. 

 Malmgren, a member also of the expeditions of 1861 and 1864. The 

 remaining part of our expedition will from here go, first, to Seven Island, 

 and then (perhaps one of the first days of October), after having depo- 

 sited a boat and a depot of provisions on Ross Islet, further northward. 

 The polar sea was in the end of August quite covered with ice north of 

 81° 9', the highest latitude hitherto reached by our steamer. But a week 

 later the sea was open to Walden and Table Island, and the 8th of 

 September I could, from one of the highest peaks of Parry Island, dis- 

 cern only traces of ice further northward. 



I remain, Sir, respectfully yours, 



A. I. Nordenskiold. 



VIII. "Notice of an Observation of the Spectrum of a Solar Pro- 

 minence, by J. N. Lockyer, Esq., in a Letter to the Secre- 

 tary." Communicated by Dr. Sharpey. Received October 21, 

 1868. 



October 20, 1868. 



Sir, — I beg to anticipate a more detailed communication by informing 

 you that, after a number of failures, which made the attempt seem hope- 

 less, I have this morning perfectly succeeded in obtaining and observing 

 part of the spectrum of a solar prominence. 



As a result I have established the existence of three bright lines in the 

 following positions : — 



I. Absolutely coincident with C. 

 II. Nearly coincident with F. 

 III. Near D. 



The third line (the one near D) is more refrangible than the more re- 

 frangible of the two darkest lines by eight or nine degrees of Kirchhoff's 



