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POrULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
These tints are the nearest I could find to represent those seen 
on the planet, but there is a muddiness about all terrestrial 
colours, when compared with the colour of the objects seen in 
the skies. These colours' could not be seen in their brilliancy 
and purity, unless we could dip our pencil in a rainbow, and 
transfer the prismatic tints to our paper * 
With reference to these interesting and graphic remarks, it 
must be pointed out that we might reasonably be disposed to 
refer phenomena so new and so remarkable to some peculiarity 
either of the telescope or of the observer’s vision, were it not 
that the observed blueness of the polar regions at once nega- 
tives such a supposition. I cannot but think the evidence thus 
afforded of the adaptability of reflectors to delicate chromatic 
studies singularly striking and convincing. 
It remains to be noticed that the shadow of the planet on 
the ring will become an interesting subject of observation during 
July and August. Observers should pay particular attention to 
the direction of those singular and as yet little understood peculi- 
arities of form which have been exhibited by this shadow. The 
contrast between the blackness of the shadow and the colour of 
the so-called black division between the rings, is also well worth 
noticing. If any doubt could remain respecting the constitu- 
tion of the rings, no argument could be more effectually used 
in favour of the satellite theory, than that drawn from the fact 
that the division between the rings is not vacant, but occupied 
by some entity or other which supplies a faint but readily de- 
tected light. I canot conceive what reasonable theory could be 
urged in explanation of the peculiarit}^, save that some minute 
bodies are travelling within this gap. 
"" From “ The Student ’’ for November 1868. 
