SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
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not see Venus at all, but only the image of the sun in the Venerian mirror 
— it certainly is not correctly described by Mr. Christie as incompatible 
with any theory whatever. For, if the part of Venus turned earthwards at 
the time were covered with a great ocean, not so much rippled that the sur- 
face lost its power of specular reflection, while all the reflected images of 
the sun were distorted and scattered as we see them when the sun is shining 
athwart a rippled sea, an area of sensibly uniform illumination would be 
presented within the illuminated crescent of the planet’s disc. A small 
portion near the middle of this area would be more brightly illuminated than 
the rest however, and if this were seen it would present the appearance of a 
point of light such as was seen by Mr. Christie. Certainly in the present 
condition of our knowledge respecting Venus, which assures us that she has 
an atmosphere like that of the earth, and at times very heavily laden with 
the vapour of water, the idea of a wide expanse of ocean surface, capable of 
specularly reflecting the sun’s rays, and even “ in seasons of calm weather ” 
of making a nearly perfect, though at our distance an undiscernible, image of 
the sun (mirrored on that calm Venerian ocean), seems not only admissible, 
but altogether probable. The metallic surface, with its vitreous atmosphere, 
or as it has been called 11 the glorified thermometer-bulb theory,” outrages 
common sense. Yet we find Mr. Christie, a mathematician of no mean skill, 
and as a practical observer free one would suppose from those tendencies 
which affect the merely mathematical mind, calmly presenting the fact that 
the position of the plane of polarization in the eyepiece relatively to the line 
of cusps appeared to have no appreciable effect on the gradation of light, 
“ would be consistent with the theory of reflexion from a metallic surface.” 
It would be consistent also with the theory that the spirit of the late Lord 
Fosse has during the last few years superintended the envelopment of the 
surface of Venus with a coating of speculum metal, alloyed in proportions 
corresponding to those used for the Parsonstown telescope ; and it would be 
as well worth while to oppugn one theory as the other in any serious 
manner. 
Meteoric Radiant Points . — Scarcely less absurd in its theoretical aspect, 
but equally useful as presenting observational facts of interest, is Mr. 
W. F. Denning’s paper on the suspected repetition of outbursts from Radiant 
Points, and on the long duration of meteor showers. Noting that meteors 
seem to radiate for three or four months from the same radiant points, Mr. 
Denning, who has collected a considerable number of independent observa- 
tions bearing on this point, mentions it as suggesting reasons for believing 
that the same meteoric systems really are traversed by the earth during these 
long periods of time. He says at the outset of his paper, that, “ in the 
present very imperfect state of our knowledge it would be wrong to hastily 
condemn any observed facts, however improbable and incomprehensible they 
may at first sight appear.” Condemning observed facts is certainly not a 
proper course for the true student of science ; nor would it avail much, facts 
having a certain obstinate persistence, despite any amount of condemnation. 
There is, however, no easier way of bringing facts into question than basing 
utterly absurd and untenable propositions upon them. This is what Mr. 
Denning has done in the present instance. It is in the first place absolutely 
impossible that meteor systems should have the extension demanded for them 
