[ m 1 
on the Sun, when they looked without a fmoaked 
Giafs, or fomething equivalent. 
I have taken Notice of this, bccaufe it may contri- 
bute to account for what at firft Sight appears furprize- 
ihg, that there are fo few annular Eclipfes in the Lifts 
colledcd by Authors. Kepler , in his AJlron. Optic . 
docs not feem to acknowledge, that any Eclipfe, truly, 
annular, had ever been obferved. There are none 
mentioned by Ricciolus , from the Year 334 till i f 6/. 
though there are 13 or 14 total Eclipfes recorded with- 
in that Period ; yet it is allowed, that the Extent and 
Duration of the annular Appearance may be confider- 
ably greater in the former, than of the Darknefs in the 
latter. It may have contributed to this, that annular 
Eclipfes muft have been rather incident in the Winter 
Seafon in the Northern Hemifphere, and that Eclipfes 
have been more readily total in the Summer, when 
their Chance of being vifible was greater, and the Sea- 
fon more favourable for obferving them. But per- 
haps the chief Reafon why few annular Eclipfes appear 
upon Record, is, that they have not been diftinguiftied 
in moft Cafes from ordinary partial ones. The Dark- 
nefs diftinguifhed total Eclipfes, or fuch as were very 
nearly total ; and it is thefe chiefly, Hiftorians men- 
tion. There are two central Eclipfes of the Sun ftill 
famous amongft the Populace in this Country : That 
of March 29. i6f2. was total here, and that Day is 
known amongft them by the Appellation of Mirk 
Monday. The Memory of the Eclipfe of Feb. 2y. 
1598. is alfo preferved amongft them, and that Day 
they term, in their way, Black Saturday. There is a 
Tradition, that fome Perfons in the North loft their 
B b 2 Way 
