426 SCIENTIFIC RECORD FOR 1883. 



It is desired to form, at the Harvard College Observatory, a collection 

 of all photographs of the heavenly bodies and of their spectra which 

 can be obtained for the purpose, and Professor Pickering requests that 

 both European and American astronomers will contribute specimens to 

 this collection. Original negatives would be particularly valuable. It 

 may happen that some such negatives, having slight imperfections which 

 would limit their value for purposes of engraving, could be spared for a 

 collection, and would be as important (considered as astronomical ob- 

 servations) as others photographically more perfect. In some cases 

 astronomers may be willing to deposit negatives taken for a special pur- 

 pose, and no longer required for study, in a collection where they would 

 retain a permanent value as parts of a historical series. Where pho- 

 tography is regularly employed in a continuous series of observations 

 it is obvious that specimen negatives only can be spared for a collection. 

 But in such cases it is hoped that some duplicates may be available, 

 and that occasional negatives may hereafter be taken for the purpose 

 of being added to the collection, to exhibit recent improvements or 

 striking phenomena. 



When negatives cannot be furnished, glass positives, taken if possi- 

 ble by direct printing, would be very useful. If these also are not pro- 

 curable, photographic prints or engravings would be desirable. 



In connection with photographs themselves, copies of memoirs or 

 communications relating to the specimens sent, or to the general subject 

 of astronomical photography, would form an interesting supplement to 

 the collection. 



Field Memorial Observatory of Williams College. — The following brief 

 description of this new observatory is based on a photographic view by 

 Pach Bros., 841 Broadway, New York. The building is situated some 

 three-fourths of a mile from the Hopkins Observatory, on the college 

 grounds. It consists of a large meridian room, a hall, a bed-room, and a 

 large computing room. The building is of iron, on a stone foundation. 

 The meridian instrument is a circle by Eepsolds of 4i French inches aper- 

 ture. The room is designed so as to give the best field for this beautiful 

 instrument. The slit is 40 inches wide, covered by three hinged shutters. 

 Windows allow ventilation, and a novelty in such construction is a 

 tower or ventilating shaft. The wall shutters are arranged ae doors. 

 The whole aspect of the building is very pleasing to the eye and the 

 situation is excellent. Professor Safford is engaged in a highly im- 

 portant work on polar stars, the first part of which is about to be 

 printed. 



Litchfield Observatory. — Dr. Peters, in his annual report, says : " The 

 work in the observatory was continued upon the same plan and directed 

 to the same objects as in the years preceding. The number of stars ob- 

 served since my last report, in zones, is 12,069 — considerably more than 



