Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 001.djvu/362

 and that not only in Sandy, but also in other Hills of firmer Earth; of which I have seen my self pretty big pieces. Concerning swallows, I have frequently heard Fisher-men affirm, that they have here often fish'd them out of the Lakes, in the Winter; but I never have seen it my self. Whilst I am writing this, I receive Letters out of Denmark, advertising me, that those two Learned men, Thomas and Erasmus Bartholin, do intend shortly to answer the same Quæries. Next Winter, if God vouchsafe me life and health, I purpose to make a journey to Konigs-berg, where I hope to learn many things, especially about Amber.

Thus far in answer to those Inquiries for the present.

To this he subjoyns other things, no less fit to be communicated to the Curious, in these words;

The Books you have sent me over sea, I have not yet received: I wish, they were all translated into Latin; for I have not English enough, to understand all particulars perfectly. For the rest, you have obliged me, by communicating the Observations of the last Eclipse of the Sun, aswell those made in England, as those of Paris and Madrid. That I may requite you in some measure, I send you my Observations both of that, and the Moons last Eclipse. In the Sun's Eclipse, this is chiefly observable, That the Semidiameter of the Moon from the very beginning, to about 5. or 6. digits of the increasing Phasis was much less than the Rudolphin Account imports. light it was then almost equal to the Semidiameter of the Sun: but, after the greatest Obscuration, when I again contemplated the Moons Semidiameter, I found it 8″ or 9″ bigger than that of the Sun; so that the Semidiameter of the Moon was not always, during this Eclipse, constant to it self. It will therefore be worth while, to be hereafter more diligent and curious in this particular, and accurately to observe in the Phasis of each Digit the Proportion of the Semidiameters of both Luminaries; to the end, that first it may be made manifest, Whether in all the Eclipses of the Sun, or in some only, that variation happens; next, that the Causes of such a Phænomenon may be diligently inquired into. Of this Variation, the Excellent Ismael Bullialdus hath also observed something at Paris. For he has written to me, That in the same Eclipse the Semidiam. of the Sun to the Semid. of the Moon was as 16′.9″. to 16′.22″; but that in another Rh