um, was observed on 1880, Nov. 27 and
29. These bands to which there is nothing corresponding in the Solar
Spectrum (except some very faint lines) have also been subsequently
remarked in the spectrum of several spots.--The Police Ship 'Royalist'
(which was injured by a collision in 1879 and had been laid up in
dock) has not been again moored in the river, and the series of
observations of the temperature of the Thames is thus terminated.
--Part of the month of January 1881 was, as regards cold,
especially severe. The mean temperature of the period January 12 to
26 (15 days) was only 24.2 deg., or 14.7 deg. below the average; the
temperature fell below 20 deg. on 10 days, and rose above the freezing
point only on 3 days. The highest temperature in this period was
35.3 deg., the lowest 12.7 deg.. On January 17th (while staying at Playford)
my son Hubert and I noticed an almost imperceptible movement in the
upper clouds from the South-East. On that night began the terrible
easterly gale, accompanied with much snow, which lasted to the night
of the 18th. The limiting pressure of 50 lbs. on the square foot of
Osler's Anemometer was twice exceeded during this storm.--With respect
to the Diurnal Inequalities of Magnetic Horizontal Force: Assuming it
to be certain that they originate from the Sun's power, not
immediately, but mediately through his action on the Earth, it appears
to me (as I suggested long ago) that they are the effects of the
attraction of the red end or north end of the needle by the heated
portions of our globe, especially by the heated sea, whose effect
appears to predominate greatly over that of the land. I do not say
that everything is thus made perfectly clear, but I think that the
leading phenomena may be thus explained. And this is almost
necessarily the way of beginning a science.--In the first few years
after the strict and systematic examination of competitive
chronometers, beginning with 1856, the accuracy of chronometers was
greatly increased. For many years past it has been nearly
stationary. I interpret this as shewing that the effects of bad
workmanship are almost eliminated, and that future improvement must be
sought in change of some points of construction.--Referring to the
Transit of Venus in 1874, the printing of all sections of the
Observations, with specimens of the printed forms employed, and
remarks on the photographic operations, is very nearly completed. An
Introduction is begun in ma