SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
195 
interval of good definition, Linne presented tlie appearance of a minute deep 
crater, witli black interior shadow, lying in the centre of the usual white 
cloud. The crater appeared from the shadow to have great depth and 
steepness. 
We have to close our summary by recording the severe loss the astrono- 
mical world has sustained in the death of the Rev. W. R. Dawes. For a 
considerable time he was with the late Mr. Bishop, at his Observatory in 
the Begent’s Park ; he then had an observatory of his own at Watering- 
bury, from whence he removed to Haddenham, in close vicinity to Admiral 
Smyth and Dr. Lee, in connection with whom he will be recollected by all 
readers of the Bedford Catalogue. With an eye of surprising acuteness, and 
telescopic means of the greatest power, Mr. Dawes has enriched astronomy 
with many independent discoveries and observations of the greatest value. 
During the last few years he had been engaged in completing the catalogue 
of his measures of the Double Stars, which is published in the 35th volume 
of the Memoirs of the Koyal Astronomical Society. He had been very 
seriously ill a short time previous, but rallied, and observed in reference to 
this work that he thought he should be permitted to live to complete it. 
He was, we think, justly considered to be our first English observer; any- 
thing which he stated could be seen by himself was implicitly believed, and 
it is doubtful if a single instance has occurred in which his observations 
have not been confirmed by the employment of more powerful instruments. 
Of the most pleasing manners and kindly address, he would give the utmost 
patience and attention to any subject brought before him, and would seize 
at once upon the points most requiring notice. Mr. Dawes was a Fellow of 
the Royal Society. He received the gold medal of the Astronomical So- 
ciety, in 1855. He died on the 15th of last month, at the age of GO. 
BOTANY AND VEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY. 
Action of Light on Vegetation . — An important and philosophic paper has 
been sent in to the French Academy by M. Dubrunfaut, in which the author 
describes the results of numerous experiments, and in some measure cor- 
roborates the conclusion before arrived at by M. Cailletet. It will be 
remembered that, according to M. CaiUetet, the red and yellow rays of 
light are the most favourable in promoting the decomposition of carbonic 
anhydride by plants. Light which is passed through a solution of iodine 
in carbonic disulphide prevents decomposition altogether. Under the in- 
fluence of green light, not only does no decomposition take place, but new 
quantities of carbonic anhydride are formed. A fresh leaf exposed to sun- 
light, under a bell-jar of green glass, exhales nearly as much carbonic 
anhydride as it would in the dark. Regarding the facts as established, 
M. Dubrunfaut proceeds to generalise upon them, and endeavours to establish 
a law, by which the number of foot-pounds ” of work done in decomposing 
carbonic acid may be established. At present he confines himself to point- 
ing out the existence of such a law, and in concluding his paper, he makes 
the following remarks : If we admit that in the act of assimilation of 
