ASTRONOMY. 35 



publications are concerned, and very full in the publications 

 of other bodies. It is a useful supplement to the indispensa- 

 ble Royal Society catalogue of scientific papers. 



Mr. Knobel, of England, has published in the Monthly 

 Notices, Royal Astronomical Society, a very complete and 

 accurate index catalogue to scientific literature on the sub- 

 jects of Double Stars, Variable and Red Stars, Nebula}, etc., 

 Proper Motions and Parallax, and Stellar Spectra. Since 

 this has appeared, a very complete bibliography by Mr. 

 Knobel lias been printed in the Memoirs of the same soci- 

 etv under the title "Chronology of Star Catalogues." 



The Smithsonian Institution has published a complete bib- 

 liography of works on Nebulae and Clusters, by Professor 

 Holden, of 110 pp., 8vo. 



Professor Merriman* of Yale College, has published a valu- 

 able bibliography of works on the Method of Least Squares. 



It is proposed to found an American journal of pure and 

 applied mathematics at Baltimore, under the editorship of 

 Professor Sylvester, aided by the professors of the Johns 

 Hopkins University and others. 



We note the establishment of a new astronomical period- 

 ical (monthly), under the editorship of Mr. Christie, first 

 assistant at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. He is to be 

 assisted by several eminent astronomers. The first number 

 appeared on April 20, 1877, under the name, The Observa- 

 tory: a Monthly Review of Astronomy , and contains articles 

 by Huggins, Gill, Darwin (G. PI.), Birmingham, Tupman, 

 Brett, and Marth. 



The Science Observer, published monthly since July, 1877, 

 as the organ of the Boston Amateur Scientific Society, con- 

 tains notes on variable and double stars, etc. 



The Popular Science Monthly for February, 1877, publishes 

 a list of the principal telescopes of the world, which may be 

 of use for reference. 



REPORTS OF AMERICAN OBSERVATORIES. 



For the purpose of rendering the summary of the progress 

 and condition of astronomical science in 1877 fuller and more 

 satisfactory, a circular was sent to the directors of the vari- 

 ous observatories of the United States, asking for informa- 

 tion on the following points : 



