
13 
when it passed behind the edge of the upright stone, or if its- 
altitude was sufficient, when it passed exactly over that edge, the 
observer would proclaim the fact. When we next go and satisfy 
ourselves as to the station whence each of the observers looked 
towards the other outlying stone, and towards each of the two 
mounds, we shall find that in each case the direction for obser- 
- yation grazes the edge of one or other of the large uprights. 
The other objection to my theory was like this: “Oh!” said my 
friend, “you reserve to yourself liberty to observe from any point 
you please to select among the trilithons, thus you have plenty 
of azimuthal range, and you reserve liberty to hit your star at 
any altitude up or down the big stones. You ought, therefore, 
to have no difficulty among the countless stars of heaven in catching 
some one in any direction in which you please to look.” 
In reply, I have to say, first : Owing to the intervention of 
outer circle stones and the opposite trilithons, the stations 
whence the outlying stones and mounds can be seen are surpris- 
ingly few in number. Further, the stars to be selected must each 
and all be subject to a very drastic limitation when it is remem- 
bered that the ARS of all of the four stars as shewn by the angle- 
of the alignment along which they would be observed must, when 
calculated back, agree in pointing to the same date. 
Lastly, let us see whether the host of stars does really offer 
us a very wide field of choice. All the principal stars visible in 
our hemisphere are printed from the Nautical Almanac in 
Whitaker’s Almanac. The entire list comprises the names and 
necessary particulars of just 100 stars. Now the stars to be used 
by us must be stars notable either for brilliancy or magnitude, or 
on account of their position. But one half of Whitaker's list are- 
of no more than the 3rd magnitude. We will, therefore, reject 
all of them. This reduces the list to 50. Further, the stars used 
must have had altitude confined to from 15 to 35 degrees or 
thereabouts, above the horizon. Thus our 50 would be reduced 
by about two-thirds. Let us say only by one-half. We now 
