LEISURE READINGS. By E. CLODD, A. WILSON, T. FOSTER, A. C. RANYARD, and R. A. PROCTOR. Crown 8vo, 5_s._ Cheap Edition, 3_s._ 6_d._ STRENGTH: How to Get Strong and Keep Strong. With Chapters on Rowing and Swimming, Fat, Age, and the Waist. With 9 Illustrations. Crown 8vo, 2_s._ CHANCE AND LUCK: A Discussion of the Laws of Luck, Coincidences, Wagers, Lotteries, and the Fallacies of Gambling, &c. Crown 8vo, 2_s._ 6_d._ HOW TO PLAY WHIST: With the Laws and Etiquette of Whist. Crown 8vo, 3_s._ net. HOME WHIST: An Easy Guide to Correct Play. 16mo, 1_s._ LONDON: LONGMANS, GREEN, & CO. PLEASANT WAYS IN SCIENCE BY RICHARD A. PROCTOR AUTHOR OF “ROUGH WAYS MADE SMOOTH,” “THE EXPANSE OF HEAVEN,” “OUR PLACE AMONG INFINITIES,” “MYTHS AND MARVELS OF ASTRONOMY,” ETC. ETC. _NEW IMPRESSION_ LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. 39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON NEW YORK AND BOMBAY 1905 CONTENTS. PAGE OXYGEN IN THE SUN 1 SUN-SPOT, STORM, AND FAMINE 28 NEW WAYS OF MEASURING THE SUN’S DISTANCE 56 DRIFTING LIGHT WAVES 77 THE NEW STAR WHICH FADED INTO STAR-MIST 106 STAR-GROUPING, STAR-DRIFT, AND STAR-MIST 136 MALLET’S THEORY OF VOLCANOES 151 TOWARDS THE NORTH POLE 156 A MIGHTY SEA-WAVE 178 STRANGE SEA CREATURES 199 ON SOME MARVELS IN TELEGRAPHY 232 THE PHONOGRAPH, OR VOICE-RECORDER 274 THE GORILLA AND OTHER APES 296 THE USE AND ABUSE OF FOOD 330 OZONE 347 DEW 357 THE LEVELLING POWER OF RAIN 367 ANCIENT BABYLONIAN ASTROGONY 388 PREFACE.