192 
SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
ASTRONOMY. 
Total Solar Eclipse of December 22. — At length the question of the 
corona — at least that great general question which had for the last few 
months been so earnestly discussed — is disposed of. It seemed, indeed, when 
the first intelligence came from the eclipse parties as though it would still 
remain a moot point whether the corona is in large part a terrestrial pheno- 
menon, as Mr. Lockyer has urged, or whether not only the inner and brighter 
portion, but the outer radiated and fainter parts, belong to a true solar 
appendage. From Oran we heard of complete failure — a failure the more 
disappointing because so many of our most eminent men of science, as well 
as Janssen, the French spectroscopist, had betaken themselves thither. From 
Spain came news of the confirmation of the American observations of 1869, 
and, vaguely, of successful photographic operations — but nothing which 
promised to decide the questions at issue. From Syracuse we heard but of 
“substantial” results, which a long experience has taught us to regard as 
meaning — all but total failure. No one would have supposed, to judge from the 
meagre telegrams which alone reached us from Syracuse, that a brilliant suc- 
cess had rewarded the section under Mr. Brothers’ charge. So rapidly had 
telegraphic news come to us when nothing important had to be told, that 
everyone was prepared to hear of the complete failure of those photographic 
operations from which so much had been expected. In fact, letters from 
Mr. Brothers himself first announced a success, which, in reality, is the dis- 
tinguishing feature of the eclipse operations. 
Comparing the accounts first received, there seemed, as we have said, no 
promise of a decision. At the meeting of the Royal Astronomical Society 
on January 13, Lord Lindsay’s photographs were exhibited, and they seemed 
unsuited to decide the questions at issue. The accounts of Lieut. Brown, 
Mr. Hudson, M.A. (Fellow of Sfi John’s College, Cambridge), and of others, 
were read, and only one matter referred to seemed to suggest the possibility 
that a decisive answer might be given to those questions. It was mentioned 
that at three stations, separated by spaces of about six miles, observers had 
noticed, opposite the south-eastern quadrant of the moon, a well-marked 
V-shaped gap. This was pictured in a fine drawing by Lieut. Brown, who 
mentioned that underneath the gap — that is, between the apex of the V and 
the corona — the bright inner portion of the corona was shallower than else- 
where — a most important observation if confirmed (as we shall presently see 
