ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



The astronomical expedition of Mr. David Gill to Ascen- 

 sion Island is particularly noteworthy; and by advices from 

 Mr. Gill up to October 8, it appears probable that success is 

 ured. These and other subjects are spoken of briefly 

 under their appropriate heads, but it must be remembered 

 that the accounts here given are necessarily the barest sum- 

 maries, and are intended mainly to call attention to work 

 which has been done, in order that a reference to the origi- 

 nals may be made when desired. 



NEBULAE AND THE NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS. 



Lord IJosse is preparing for publication all the observa- 

 tions of nebulae made at Birr Castle with his six and three 

 feet mirrors during the last thirty years. Those drawings 

 which have already been published in the Philosophical 

 Transactions will not be republished. The whole will 

 probably be divided into three or four parts, each com- 

 prising G h. or 8 h. of right ascension. The editing is done 

 by Dr. Dreyer, Lord Rosse's assistant, and the work is to 

 be published by the Royal Irish Academy. It is expected 

 to be soon in the hands of astronomers. 



Dr. Dreyer is also engaged in preparing a supplement to 

 UerschePs general catalogue of nebula), etc., and any addi- 

 tions or corrections to this should be sent to him. 



The Melbourne reflector has for some time been employed 

 for the purpose of re-drawing all nebulae previously figured 

 by Sir John Ilerschel. Forty-nine nebulae have been care- 

 fully drawn by the observers, and the results of the work 

 are about to be published. Mr. Ellery speaks of the litho- 

 graphic copies of these drawings as fully successful. 



M. Stephan, of Marseilles, gives the places of thirty new 

 nebulae discovered by him, making 185 in all found at Mar- 

 seilles. The first 125 of these will appear in Dreyer's new 

 catalogue of nebulae. 



Dr. Koch, of the Leipzig Observatory, has published a 

 micrometric investigation of the cluster G. C. 1712 for his 

 inaugural dissertation. It contains an interestinc: resume 

 of previous work of this kind. Other work of the kind is 

 now in hand at this observatory. 



The cluster Gamma Arr/i1s, respecting which Gilliss re- 

 ported changes since Sir John Herschel's observations, has 



