[ 39 § ] 
garded as chimerical ; yet affirms, that fuch nebulo- 
iity was feen by them, without prefuming to affign 
the caufe. They loft fight of this phenomenon as 
the planet entered the difk, nor could Mr. Hirft per- 
ceive it after the egrefs. 
The total ingrels, or firft internal contadft was de- 
termined with a precifion equal to that of the firft ex- 
ternal contact, at y h 47' 5 5" apparent time. 
Mr. Hirft thinks it necelfary to take notice of an- 
other odd phenomenon. At the total immerfion, 
the planet, inftead of appearing truly circular, re- 
fembled more the form of a bergamot pear, or, as 
Governor Pigot then exprelled it, looked like a nine- 
pin ; yet the preceding limb of Venus was extremely 
well defined. Mr. Hirft fufpeded this appearance 
might be owing to their telefcopes not being nicely 
enough fet to their focal lengths: accordingly, he 
took care to try this feveral times, during the tranfit, 
but found it not to be the cafe ; for though the planet 
was as black as ink, and the whole body truely cir- 
cular, juft before the beginning of the egrefs, yet it 
was no fooner in contact with the Sun’s preceding 
limb, than it alTumcd the fame figure as before, at 
the Sun’s fubfequent limb ; the fubfequent limb of 
Venus keeping well defined, and truely circular. 
The beginning of the egrefs, or fecond interior 
contact, was obferved only by Mr. Hirft and Mr. 
Call, Mr. Pigot having retired. This phafis came 
on at i h 39' 38", P. M. and the total egrefs, by 
Mr. Plirft alone, at i h 55' 44'', apparent time, Mr. 
Call unfortunately lofing the lolar image out of the 
field of his tel eft: ope. 
LXI 1 L Jn 
