168 RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1887 AND 1888. 



Tbc two rooms fiirtlior west are used resi)e;;tiv(>I.v as a iei)air sliop aiul 

 a sleeping-room for the assistant. 



In a sniall house at the rear ot the observatory, upou a brick pier spe- 

 cially made for the purpose, are mounted three seismograjfchs, the Du- 

 plex, the Ewing rotating, and the Gray. 



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

 the observ^atory has been found from the first series of observations (pre- 

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

 of Greenwich 8'' 9"' 2«.52. 



Tlie observatory^ is in charge of Prof. Frank Soul6, professor of civil 

 engiMeering and astronomy. University of California. 



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

 Pulkowa 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 inlluence of brightness of stars upon tlie 

 ol)served time of transit. The 9-inch equatorial has been employed upon 

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

 to this instrument in observing zones in the thicker parts of the milky- 

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

 comparison 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 Foersterin the Vierteljahrssch rift, will be found 

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



The Kecheninsntut, 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 4-40° to -fSOo. The remaining charts of 

 the Southern Durchmusterung 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, Monnichmeyer succeeded Dr. Scheiner as assist- 

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

 dam. 



Bordenu.r. — The second volume of Annales, published in 1887, con- 

 tains a memoir by Flamme upon elli])tic 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. 



Breslau. — Observations mainly meteorological and magnetic, and for 

 the time service. 



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

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

 observations of variables. 



Brooklyn {New Yorlc). — Mr. H. M. Parkhurst's private observatory 

 was originally built in 18()2 and provided with a 0-inch telescope. It 

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



