VII. Spectroscopic observations of the sun (continued). By Lieut. J. Herschel, in a letter addressed to W. Huggins, F. R. S. Communicated by Mr. Huggins

My dear Sir,—After what I wrote to you last week you will scarcely be surprised to hear again from me on the same subject; and indeed I feel in some measure bound to communicate without delay results of further and more successful observations. Should you think fit to publish them, I hope you will do so, as I cannot command the necessary leisure to follow them up myself to their legitimate conclusion. On the 3rd instant I learnt (as I informed you) that the spectrum of the solar envelope was visible with the spectroscope at my command, apparently without difficulty. On the following day I saw the same phenomena, and was enabled to form a fair mental picture of the distribution of the luminous regions surrounding the sun. Two very fine prominences were particularly examined, one of which was evidently a large cloud floating 1' to 2' above the surface.