168 RECORD OP SCIENCE FOR 1887 AND 1888. 



The two rooms fiiitlier west are used respectively as a repair slio}) and 

 a sleepiiig-rooni for the assistant. 



In a small house at the rear of the observatory, upon a brick pier si)e- 

 cially made for the purpose, are mounted three seismographs, the J)u- 

 plex, the Ewing- rotating, and the Gray, 



The latitude of the mercury basin in the center of the transit pier of 

 the observatory has been found from tlie tirst series of observations (pre- 

 liminary to a continued series) to be + 37° 52' 21", 7. Longitude west 

 of Greenwich 8'' 9'" 2«.52. 



The observatory is in charge of Prof. Frank Soul^, professor of civil 

 engineering and astronomy. University of California. 



Berlin. — The principal work of the meridian circle has been upon the 

 Pnlkowa list of stars and Argelander's stars, with considerable proper 

 motion ; a few comparison stars were observed, and preliminary experi- 

 ments made to determine the influence of brightness of stars upon the 

 observed time of transit. The 9-iuch equatorial has been employed upon 

 comets, asteroids, and comparison stars, and the declinograph attached 

 to this instrnment in observing zones iu the thicker parts of the milky- 

 way. With the smaller meridian instrnment a series of observations of 

 comjiarison stars has been begun, and with the heliometer measures of 

 double stars and the Pleiades, In the annual reports of this observa- 

 tory, given by Professor Foerster in the Vierteljahrsschrift, will be found 

 interesting notes upon the performance of the clocks and time service. 



The Recheninstitut, under Professor Tietjen, has published, as usual, 

 the Jahrbuch, and circulars relating to the minor planets, 



Bonn. — Dr. Schoenfeld reports satisfactory progress of the observa- 

 tions and reductions of zone 4-400 to +50°. The remaining charts of 

 the Southern Durchmnsterung have been completed and distributed, 

 and an investigation of errors in star catalogues -covered by these 

 charts is approaching completion. A few observations of variables 

 have been made. Dr. Monuichmeyer succeeded Dr. Scheiner as assist- 

 ant on January 1, 1887, the latter having accepted a position at Pots- 

 dam. 



Bordeaux. — The second volume of Ann ales, published in 1887, con- 

 tains a memoir by Flamme upon elliptic motion of the planets, a deter- 

 mination of the latitude by Rayet, and a series of observations made 

 with the meridian circle for a revision of Oeltzen's catalogue of Argel- 

 ander's southern stars; also magnetic and meteorological observations, 



Breslan. — Observations mainly meteorological and magnetic, and for 

 the time service. 



Brighton {Massachusetts).— Mr. E. F. Sawyer, of Canibridgeport, has 

 removed to Brighton, upon the outskirts of Boston, and continues his 

 observations of variables. 



Brool-h/n {New Yorl:). — Mr. H. M. Parkliurst's private observatory 

 was originally built in 18G2 and i)rovided with a G-inch telescope. It 

 was rebuilt in 1877 and a 9-inch retractor was mounted. A series of 



