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XVIII. The Bakeeiaj^^ Lectuee, — On the Total Solar Eclipse of July l^th, 1860, 
observed at Bivahellosa^ near Miranda de Ebro, in Spain. 
By Waeeen De La. Eue, Esq., Phi)., E.B.S., Hon. Sec. Moyal Astron. Soc., 
Treasurer Chem. Soc., &c. 
Eeceiyed January 30, — Bead April 10, 1862. 
My attention was first called to the Solar Eclipse of 1860, in the latter part of the year 
1858, on the occasion of my visiting Russia, when Dr. M^dlee placed in my hands a 
copy of his anticipative pamphlet, entitled “L’Eclipse Solaire du 18 Juillet, 1860.” 
This paper contained a Map of Spain, with certain lines indicating the position of 
the central path of the moon’s shadow, the limits of totality, and its epoch at various 
localities ; and it occurred to me, on perusing it, that, if circumstances should permit of 
my observing the eclipse, Santander would be very convenient for the disembarcation 
and erection of the instruments I should, in all probability, require for photographic 
observations, to the prosecution of which my successful researches in astronomical 
photography led me to think I ought to devote myself. On communicating my plans 
to Mr. ViGHOLES, he strongly recommended me to cross to the southern side of the 
Pyrenees in order to avoid the mists which are caused by the condensation of vapours 
from the ocean against the northern slopes of the mountains. Subsequently Mr. Vig- 
HOLES published an echpse-map of Spain on a very large scale, and I selected Miranda 
for my station ; but he suggested that I should place my observatory at Rivabellosa, 
about two miles from that town. 
It is fortunate that I changed my station from Santander to Rivabellosa, as many of 
those astronomers who selected the former place were prevented by the state of the 
atmosphere from observing the eclipse. 
On my journey to Russia, I stopped at Konigsberg and made the acquaintance of 
Dr. Luthee, who showed me the Daguerreotype of the total eclipse of 1851, which had 
been taken by Dr. Busch with the Konigsberg heliometer. Great credit is due to 
Dr. Busch for that successful pioneering experiment, more especially when due allowance 
is made for the uncertainty then existing as to the brilliancy of the prominences, and 
for the state of the photographic art at that epoch. In the interval of seven years, how- 
ever, astronomical photography had made great progress ; and I recollect being much 
struck with the very indifierent definition of the protuberances in the Daguerreotype, 
from which I inferred the impracticability of deriving any conclusive evidence respecting 
the nature of such appearances from photographs, unless more distinct ones could be 
obtained. The inspection of the Konigsberg Daguerreotype subsequently exercised some 
influence on my plan of procedure. Discarding all thoughts of employing the Daguerreo- 
MDCCCLXII. 2 z 
