214 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
It was found, that when any portion of the sun’s disc recedes by 
virtue of rotation from the neighbourhood of Venus, it acquires a 
tendency to break out into spots, and, on the other hand, when 
such approaches Venus, there is a tendency towards the healing up 
of spots. Carrington’s observations were then discussed, which seem 
to show that, on the whole, the sun’s surface is fullest of spots when 
Jupiter is furthest from our luminary, and freest from spots when 
he is nearest. This action of Jupiter is not, however, much in- 
fluenced by the rotation of our luminary, perhaps because the sun’s 
diameter is small compared with the distance of that planet. The 
mode of action of Venus and Jupiter may both be expressed by the 
following law : — “ When the sun’s disc, or part of it, approaches a 
planet, or when a planet approaches the sun’s disc, there is an 
absence of spots, or a tendency to luminosity produced.” 
It was then shown that this law was sufficient to explain the 
phenomena of variable and of temporary stars ; and, in conjunction 
with Professor Tait, the author suggested that it might be analogous 
to that in virtue of which two atoms rushing together give rise to 
radiant light and heat. 
3. Biographical Sketch of Adam Ferguson, LL.D., F.E.S.E., 
Professor of Moral Philosophy in the University of Edin- 
burgh. By John Small, Esq., M.A., Librarian to the 
University of Edinburgh. Communicated by Professor 
Fraser. 
The following Donations to the Library were announced 
Almanaque Nautico para 1865, Calculado de orden de S.M., en el 
Observatorio de Marina de la Ciudad de San Fernando, 8vo. — 
From the San Fernando Observatory. 
Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society. Vol. VII., 
No. 28. 8 VO. — From the Society. 
Monthly Eeturn of the Births, Deaths, and Marriages registered in 
the Eight principal Towns of Scotland — March 1864. 8vo. — 
From the Registrar-General. 
Journal of the Chemical Society. April 1864. 8vo. — From the 
Society. 
