336 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



The fraction for the Oculina is about one fifth, for the Madre- 

 pore a higher ratio, while for the Carnapsammia it is less than 

 one third. 



Professor Benjamin Peirce made a communication on the 

 mean motions of the four outer planets. After referring to the 

 curious relation noticed by Laplace, that the mean motion of 

 Jupiter is very nearly five times that of Saturn, and to his own 

 observation, that the mean motion of Uranus is about twice 

 that of Neptune, he proceeded to show the following new 

 relation between these mean motions: — 3n 7 -j- 8w 8 — n 5 = o. 

 4w 6 — 16n 7 -4- 9n s ==o, and 2n 5 — 12n 6 -J- 17n 8 -f- 6w 9 = o. La- 

 place has shown that if such relations are approximately true 

 they must, in time, become accurately so ; and hence these 

 equations afford an excellent means of computing the mean 

 motions of Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, assuming that of Ju- 

 piter. The results are for Saturn, 44.001.805 sec, for Uranus, 

 15.428.182 sec, and for Neptune, 7.871.511 sec, which agree 

 very nearly with observation. 



Mr. William Everett proposed — 



A new reading in Virgil, JEneid, Book I. Line 445. 



The reading of all the MSS. here is : — Egregiam, et facilem 

 V1CTU per saecula gentem. The interpretations of the word Victu 

 here are various. Some commentators venturing to take it from inn- 

 cere, and using it actively, so that facilem victu = victoria pollentem. 

 Most, however, take it as a latter supine from vivo, or ahlative singular 

 from victus, and make facilem victu = facilem victum habituram. 

 This view is best stated by Heyne, Excursus ad locum, who compares, 

 but, in my opinion, inaptly, Georg. II. 460, iEn. VIII. 318. His 

 statement has satisfied later commentators. Weidmann (Commentar 

 zu Virgil's JEneis, B. I. und II. Leipzig, 1869) has summed up all 

 the learning that can be advanced on it. 



I confess that, after all possible parallels have been adduced, I can- 

 not find either a symbol of fertility or wealth in a war-horse ; nor can 

 I think facilem victu a natural expression in the sense given it. I 

 therefore propose to read Facilem VECTU — the E and Jin the best 

 uncial MSS. differing exceedingly little from each other. 



Thus we shall have Virgil's very favorite word vehor, I move, or am 



