LITERARY NOTICES. 



375 



observed 4 times by the Herschels." In 

 .short, we know something about this Nebula. 

 Interpreting the entry from the "Double 

 Star Catalogue," we lind about No. 2052 

 that it is No. 698 of Sir John's previously 

 published list ; that it has been observed by 

 no one else ; that its Right Ascension for 

 1830 is 5^ 13'48; its North Polar Distance 

 is for the same epoch 89 6'; and that the 

 precessions in Right Ascension and North 

 Polar Distance are for the same epoch 

 + 3'.09 and 4''.02 respectively. 



There is not a word about the relative 

 magnitudes of the component stars of the 

 double star referred to, not a word to show 

 whether it is double, triple, quadruple, or 

 multiple, not a word about the position, 

 angle, and distance of the component stars 

 of the double (if it is a double), and finally, 

 not a word about the colors of the compo- 

 nents. In short, we know next to noth- 

 ing about this star. The little we do know 

 is this : 1. Its position in 1830, and we have 

 the means of determining the position with 

 tolerable accuracy at present ; and, 2. We 

 know where to look in Sir John's partial 

 " Catalogues," which are scattered through 

 many volumes of the Royal Astronomical 

 Society's "Memoirs," the observations at 

 the Cape of Good Hope, etc., for the infor- 

 mation regarding position, distance, color, 

 and magnitude, which is precisely what we 

 require, and which is precisely what is omit- 

 ted from this new "Catalogue." Thus we 

 may estimate its value to be that of an ex- 

 tended index to various double-star obser- 

 vations, with the approximate positions of 

 these stars. After what we have said, it is 

 unnecessary to go further. Any one can 

 see that to the astronomer this " Catalogue" 

 is of but slight value, while to the average 

 double-star observer (who often has not the 

 means of determining accurately star-posi- 

 tions) it is tantalizing and almost useless. 

 When he finds a double star, how is he to 

 know whether it is new or not, except by 

 going over much of the same work that 

 has been done once by the computer of this 

 " Catalogue ? " In fine, this book can only 

 be considered to be truly useful when it is 

 accompanied by the " Memoirs " from which 

 the materials were originally drawn. The 

 publication is not creditable to the Royal 

 Astronomical Society, to the memory of its 



distinguished projector, nor to its able ed- 

 itors. These gentlemen might well have 

 consulted the work of Dr. Anwers on a simi- 

 lar subject, ^'William JlcrscheVs Verzeichnis- 

 sen von Nebelflecken und Sternhanfen, bear- 

 btitetvon Arthur Anwevs, 1862," (or a model 

 as to the way in which the memory of a 

 great astronomer should be honored, and as 

 to the manner in which alone it is worth . 

 while to do astronomical work. 



Seventh Annual Report on the Noxious, 

 Beneficial, and other Insects of Mis- 

 souri. By C. V. Riley, State Entomol- 

 ogist. 



In this volume (published April 1st) Prof. 

 Riley specially considers six insect-pests, 

 viz., the Colorado potato-beetle, chinch- 

 bug, apple-tree borer, canker-worm. Phyl- 

 loxera, and the Rocky Mountain locust, 

 improperly called grasshopper. Mr. Riley 

 gives the results of his observations and 

 inquiries during the past year on each of 

 these different insects, and, as in all his 

 previous reports, keeps steadily in view 

 the great practical object of his research, 

 namely, the discovery of the best and most 

 effectual means of annihilating these ene- 

 mies of agriculture. In Missouri the farm- 

 ers now accept the presence of the Colorado 

 beetle as the necessary concomitant of the 

 culture of the potato ; but they do not fear 

 it as once they did, being provided with 

 the means of keeping the pest in check. 

 Prof. Riley has, for years, recommended the 

 use of Paris green in the war of extermination 

 against this beetle, and the farmers of Mis- 

 souri now very generally employ this sub- 

 stance, and with the best results : in short, 

 it is by far the cheapest and most eti'ectual 

 means of destroying the beetle. "But, 

 then, Paris green is a deadly poison, and 

 therefore its use causes more mischief 

 by far than could ever be done by the 

 Colorado potato-bug." Prof. Riley, how- 

 ever, speaks from experience, and he as- 

 serts that there is no danger to be appre- 

 hended from the use of Paris green, " ex- 

 cept through carelessness and exposure to 

 its direct influence." Millions of bushels of 

 potatoes were last year grown in Missouri, 

 and great quantities of Paris green used in 

 sprinkling the leaves of the growing plants, 

 and yet the author has not heard of a single 

 case of poisoning, save where people had 



