66 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



photographic plate and when it finally 

 had approached near enough to impress 

 its image upon this plate it was found to 

 he in practically the exact position which 

 was predicted. This comet will remain 

 in our northern heavens throughout the 

 month, moving along the path M N Fig- 



FIG. 3. "THE COMET SEEKER." 

 A form of small telescope with which the observer 

 sweeps over the sky, hour atter hour, and night after 

 night, in the hope of discovering a new comet. 



ure I, but it will remain a very faint ob- 

 ject. It will pass nearest the sun on 

 September i. 



A third, very faint, periodic comet was 

 discovered in May, in the constellation 

 Pisces, so that altogether there are three 

 comets now visible in the sky. 



The Planets in July. 



Mercury, which came to conjunction 

 on June 26, will reach its greatest dis- 

 tance west of the sun on July 18 and may 

 then be seen in the early morning sky for 

 one and one half hours before sunrise. 



Venus also rises one and one half hours 

 before sunrise on July i, but this time is 

 diminished to 40 minutes by July 31. 

 This planet is rapidly becoming lost in 

 the sun's rays and will be practically in- 

 visible after the middle of the month. 



Mars is in Taurus, between the Plei- 

 ades and the Hyades. It rises 3 hours 



before the sun on July i and this time is 

 increased to 3 hrs. 35 min. By July 31. 

 This planet is drawing steadily nearer 

 the earth and now shines in the morning 

 sky with the brightness of a first magni- 

 tude star. 



Jupiter is conspicuous in the southeast 

 after midnight. It rises at 11 hrs. 20 min. 

 P.M. on July i, and at 9 hrs. on July 31, 



Saturn entered the morning sky on 

 June 28 and throughout the month re- 

 mains too near the sun to be observed. 



On July 5 at 4 P.M. our earth reaches 

 its greatest distance from the sun of the 

 present year. At this time we will be 

 3,112,100 miles farther away from the 

 sun than we were at the time of our near- 

 est approach on the 2nd of last January. 



It is related of Sir Isaac Newton that 

 he was once attracted by a fair lady, 

 and paid court to her ; in the course of 

 an evening's visit he fell to musing. 

 Reaching out his hand he took the 

 young lady's and raised it gently to- 

 ward his lips ; he carefully picked out 

 the little finger on which to bestow 

 the evidence of his affection. About 

 this time the lady also became lost in 

 pleasant thoughts. Sir Isaac squeezed 

 her finger a bit, and stirred the hot 

 ashes of his pipe with it. The rest 

 of the story is short ; he remained a 

 bachelor. — Howe's "A Study of the 

 Skv." 



The condor of the Andes Mountains, 

 the largest of all flying birds, takes seven 

 years to grow up. The birds spend an 

 entire year in the nest before learning 

 to fly. After that, they remain for two 

 years more under their parents' care. 

 Not until they enter their seventh year, 

 do they take on completely their adult 

 plumage. 



BY-WAYS. 



Lightly tripping. Summer comes. 



Clad in verdant coat ; 

 The weary world the open seeks, 



In motor, and in hoat. 



But through the highways ; and the fact 



Is known to you and me. 

 That nature's byways are the best. 



With stores of wealth to see. 



While others hasten, we will stroll. 



And find, in every nook. 

 Enough of interest and charm 



To fill a Wonder-Book. 



— Emma Peirce. 



