Three coronal spectra obtained at the eclipse of 1940 October 1 have been investigated. Wave-lengths and intensities of seven coronal emission lines are tabulated. The continuous spectrum is found to redden slightly as the solar distance increases. The intensities of absorption lines in the outer corona are measured to obtain J F / J S , the ratio of the intensity of Fraunhofer component of the spectrum to the total intensity. This ratio increases with increasing solar distances, but J F decreases. J F / J S is independent of wave-length. The red shift of the Fraunhofer lines is measured to be 0.08 A. ± 0.04, but the reality of the shift is doubted. The observations are thought to confirm Grotrian's theory of the coronal continuous spectrum in general, but it is suggested that J F is caused by diffraction instead of reflection by interplanetary particles. Theory of diffraction indicates a radius of particles ρ = 10 −3 cm., and density at the distance of the Earth N E = 3 × 10 −15 per c.c.