Scientific [pp. 372-374]

THE LADIES' REPOSITORY.
"No!" said Yankee; "I do n't mean plad;
I mean ter say it's gone up."
"0, no," said the Britisher;'not at all;
it has not gone up-quite the contrary.
WNe've taken off from the price."
"Over the left; it's threepence too high
now."
"No doubt of it; but our neighbors on
the left are not manufacturers, you know."
"'Very likely; but I don't care to be
'stuck,' when I get home."
"Really! Most extraordinary! Is it as
dangerous in New York as the newspapers
say?"
"Yes; but I do n't want these goods. I've
got some, already, that will knock the spots
out of'em."
"But, my dear sir, there are no spots on
the goods, I assure you. They are perfect."
"Well, well, suppose we' switch off' on
these goods, and try something else."
"Certainly;" and the Englishman, to the
infinite amusement of the American friend;
called a clerk, with a wisp-broom, and directed himn to "switch off" any dust h6 could
find, while he proceeded to show something
else.
"There," said the Englishman, triumphantly, spreading out another fabric, "there is
the handsomest piece of goods in England'arf a guinea a yard."
"I can't see it," said his customer.
"Can't see it? WThy you are looking right
at it; however, suppose you try the light of
this window."
"No! I do n't mean that," said the American; "I haven't got the stamps for such
goods."
"Stamps! No stamps are required but a
a bill stamp, which we are happy to furnish."
This misunderstanding might have contin.
ued longer, had not one of the younger members of the house, seeing his senior's perplexity, rescued the American, and "put him
through," after the manner of his countrymen.
SCIENTIFIC.
VENUS AS A LUMINOUS RING. -About 1
eight years ago, Prof. C. S. Lyman published in the American Journal a notice of
some observations made on Venus, when
near her inferior conjunction in I866. The
planet was then for the first time seen as a
very delicate luminous ring. No opportunity has since occurred of repeating these
observations, until the day of the recent
transit. On Tuesday, December 8th, Venus
was again in close proximity to the sun, and
the delicate silvery ring inclosing her disc
was observed, even when the planet was
only the sun's semi-diameter from his limb.
This was at four P. M., or less than five
hours from the beginning of the transit. The
ring was brightest on the side toward the
sun-the crescent proper. On the opposite
side, the thread of light was duller and of a
slightly yellowish tinge. On the northern
limb of the planet, some 60~ or 80~ from the
point opposite the sun, the ring for a small
space was fainter and apparently narrower
than elsewhere. A similar appearance, but
more marked, was observed on the same
limb in I866. On the ioth, the crescent, extending to more than three-fourths of a
circle, was seen with beautiful distinctness
in the equatorial; and on this, and two subsequent days, measurements were taken with
the filar micrometer, for the purpose of determining the extent of the cusps, and consequently the horizontal refraction of the
atmosphere of the planet, on the assumption that the extension of the crescent and
formation of the ring are due to this refraction.
ASTRONOMICAL RESUME OF 1874. —Prof.
Daniel Kirkwood gives the following resume'
of new heavenly bodies discovered during
the year just ended: "Six minor planets
have been added to the list,-No. I35, discovered by Dr. C. H. F. Peters, February
I8th, at Clinton, New York; No. I36, by
Palisa, at Pola, Prussia, March I8th; No.
I37, by the same, April 2Ist; No. I38, by
37 2
[April,