280 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
Three figures are introduced rather as illustrations than as 
portraits, for the original drawings were felt to convey but an 
imperfect idea of the minuter details, and in the process of 
wood-engraving the fainter portions are almost of necessity too 
prominent. It may be justly thought that our knowledge of 
this grand planet has gained but little from these observations. 
Still, a few deductions may be hazarded. We may safely 
assume that the planet is surrounded by an atmosphere charged 
with vapour ; and if analogy has led to the supposition that 
the brighter stripes indicate the presence of a material like 
cloud, there is nothing in observation to contravene it. It has 
been doubted whether in the clearer intervals we actually see 
the body of the planet ; but the great contrast between the 
zones and belts renders it probable that in the latter we look 
upon the real surface, though the much greater darkness of 
some of these bands seems to show that others represent only 
a semi-transparent atmosphere, and none possibly may be quite 
1870, Dec. 14d. llh. 10m. 1870, Dec. 22d. lOh. 35m. 1871, Jan. 25d. 8h. 5m. 
free from the interposition of a nebulous veil. There have of 
late been none of those very dark spots in which it is more 
likely that the real surface comes into view. 
That the prevailing equatorial direction of these clearer 
tracts is caused by the swift rotation of the globe, has long 
been taken for granted, without, as it would seem, sufficient 
attention being given to the question in what way such a 
result would follow ; and in this inconsiderate acquiescence I 
had long shared, till the remarks of an ingenious friend sug- 
gested further inquiry. As far as I can see, three explanations 
only suggest themselves : 1. There may be a certain, amount 
of friction against some gaseous material diffused through space ; 
but this seems improbable from the density implied in the retard- 
ing medium, and from the effect of such retardation on the diur- 
nal period; or 2. There may be some kind of electric or magnetic 
polarity developed by such rapid rotatory motion : a hypothesis 
too obscure to be adoj3ted as long as any other can be devised ; 
Fig. 1, 
Fig. 2. 
Fig. 3. 
