21 



mucli surprised on seeing the object v Argus in sucli a 

 small field with so large an instrument. Mr. Le Sueur 

 thought at the time that he saw a faint shadow of a 

 lemniscate ; and what I saw was a dark path across the 

 nebula, not unlike that portion of Eridanus, occupied by 

 188 and 198 1. C. and not far from the star Achernar. 

 The object was only seen between passing clouds, and although 

 the best speculum was in the instrument at the time the 

 definition was not good. 



In June, 1862, I brought before this Society a copy of the 

 drawing made from observations on that beautiful cluster 

 of coloured stars known as « Crucis, the original drawing, &c., 

 of which was at the time remitted to the Royal Astronomical 

 Society, with notes on the variation of both colour and posi- 

 tion when compared as eye draft, with Sir John Herschel's 

 observations made at the Cape of Good Hope. (Fide 

 Moiitlily Notices, B.A.S., Vol. 23, p. 32.; 



As the instrument used at the Cape was in every respect 

 different from the one used in Hobart Town, and the effect 

 of colour varying, as it does, so much in different persons, I 

 discontinued observing to allow time for other changes to 

 become known, and have now waited nearly nine years, in 

 order to compare the object with the previous drawing 

 by the same optical means. Sir John Herschel estimated 

 this cluster to be formed of from 50 to 100 stars ; in the draw- 

 ing of 1862, a copy of which now lies on the table, there were 

 laid down 75 stars to which the colour of each was given. It 

 is now known that certain alterations have taken place 

 since 1862, but a series of cloudy nights has prevented the pos- 

 sibility of preparing a sequent to the former drawing in time 

 for the present meeting. 



