35 
Mr. E. Bowman, M.A., exhibited and explained Mr. Bar- 
rett’s modification of Professor Wheatstone's Kaleidophone. 
Professor H. E. Roscoe, F.R.S., drew attention to the 
important discovery, made independently by M. Janssen at 
Guntour in India, and by Mr. Norman Lockyer in London, 
of the visibility of the spectral-lines of the red solar pro- 
minences under ordinary circumstances. Hitherto these 
protuberances or red flames have only been seen during 
total eclipses of the sun; but by the application of the 
spectroscope in conjunction with the telescope, the peculiar 
bright lines which these prominences exhibit, indicative of 
the presence of glowing gas, can now be observed whenever 
the sun is visible. Although the priority of this interesting 
discovery is due to M. J anssen, who first observed the pro- 
tuberances the day after the eclipse, the method having 
occurred to him whilst observing during the eclipse, yet 
Mr. Lockyer had suggested this particular method of exami- 
nation no less than two years ago, and had succeeded in his 
endeavour before he became aware of M. Janssen’s prior 
observations. From the accounts as far as they are yet 
published, we learn that the bright lines appear to be iden- 
tical with those of hydrogen. 
Mr. Baxendell stated that this discovery would give a 
great impetus to the progress of our knowledge of solar 
phenomena, and that the importance of observations on this 
plan could not be over-estimated. 
Professor H. E. Roscoe, F.R.S., exhibited and explained 
Carre’s apparatus for freezing water by its own evaporation, 
and by means of which a pint of water was frozen in a 
few minutes, 
