428 SCIENTIFIC RECORD FOR 1883. 



sills and posts^f the trusses, especially at the corners of the central 

 square, are rotten, so as not longer to sustain the overlying weight. I 

 call the earnest attention of the trustees to this. The ruthless destruc- 

 tion (in October last) of the plantation of young trees that, cultivated 

 with love and labor for fifteen years, with time were to give shelter 

 against the predominant rough western winds, will seriously impair the 

 work of the observatory in the future, when my place will be filled by 

 an astronomer of less iron constitutiou than mine. The destruction was 

 unwarrantable and without the knowledge of the curators of the grounds. 

 I recommend the immediate replanting of forest trees on the plot." 



The 30-inch Clark objective for the Pulkova Observatory. — This object- 

 ive was finished early in 1883, and Director Otto v. Struve made a 

 special visit to the United States to test it. Dr. Struve first visited 

 Washington and observed various difficult or peculiar objects with the 

 26-inch telescope. Among these were Jupiter, Siritis, Procyon, the Orion 

 nebula, I 3121 (distance 0".4), 42 Coma, tj Geminorum, etc. The same 

 objects were then viewed at Cambridge with the 30-inch objective in a 

 temporary mounting, and Dr. Struve was entirely satisfied with the 

 performance of the objective. This was then carefully packed and sent 

 to Hamburg to be mounted by Messrs. Eepsold. 



The 36-inch objective of the Lick Observatory. — From articles in San 

 Francisco papers it appears that M. Feil, of Paris, the glass founder, 

 expects to send the crown disk in the rough to the makers, Alvan Clark & 

 Sons, in December, 1883. The flint disk has been for a long time on hand. 



Private observatory of Mr. Robert McKim, Madison, Ind. — "Mr. Mo- 

 Kim has built the first observatory iu Indiana at Madison. The 

 building is situated on the grounds west of his residence in this city, 

 and consists of a brick equatorial tower 12 feet square and 35 feet 

 high. The tower is surmounted by a revolving hemispherical dome, 

 which gives a clear view of the heavens in every direction. The in- 

 instruments provided are a portable equatorial telescope mounted on a 

 tripod stand ; aperture of objective 4 inches ; magnifying powers, 44 to 

 400; also a fixed equatorial telescope mounted in the dome ; aperture 

 of objective, 6 inches ; magnifying powers ranging from 35 to 500. Both 

 of these telescopes were made by Messrs. Alvan Clark & Sons, of Cam- 

 bridgeport, Mass. The mounting of the fixed equatorial was made by 

 Messrs. Fauth & Co., of Washington, D. C, who have done first-class 

 work, and furnished all the accessories required for a complete equa- 

 torial. An improved position micrometer is also provided, an excel- 

 lent piece of workmanship of Messrs. Fauth & Co. Other needed ap- 

 paratus will be provided to make the observatory complete and to 

 contribute something to science," 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Notes on some recent astronomical experiments at high elevations on the 

 Andes, by Ralph Copeland. — These experiments were made during the 



