4 
Great astronomical marvels are being displayed by the gigantic 
telescope at Lick, California, where the Ring Nebula, in the 
constellation ‘‘ Lyra,’’ has been under observation. It plainly 
reveals a corner of the universe, where the great work of creation 
is now actually in progress. In the cosmic workshop of Lyra are 
scattered raw materials and finished solar bodies, rows of suns 
ablaze with pristine light, and masses of unformed vapour, in whose 
bosom the carbon atoms may be floating, which in time may 
assume forms of beauty and life.” + 
In France M. Perrotin has been making most interesting obser 
vations of Mars, in which at one time Libya, a continent greater 
than France, disappeared beneath a deep blue sea, but which, after 
a few weeks, partially re-appeared. The lake Ulaeris has also 
vanished, and a new chann | is visible, running from the Equator 
to the North Pole, and may be traced right up to its snow-cap. 
Messrs. Hutchings and Holden believe that they have found 
platinum among the metals in the sun; they also confirm the 
presence of bismuth, cadmium, and silver. The spectroscope, how- 
ever, by means of which these metals were discovered, does not 
seem to be equally satisfactory in demonstrating with certainty the 
existence or non-existence in the sun of the non-metallic elements. 
Interesting work has been done by Sir Howard Grubb in connec- 
tion with a clock-driving apparatus, which enables a telescope used 
for astronomical photography to be kept automatically pointed to 
the same star, and to follow its apparent motion across the sky. 
If any error exceeding the fortieth of a second is introduced, a 
correcting apparatus is brought into action, which brings back the 
telescope into its required position. He has also introduced a 
delicate contrivance to allow for refraction, so that the image of a 
star can be kept perfectly steady and round on the photagraphie 
plate for an hour together. 
An ingenious machine, designed by Mr. Isaac Roberts, called 
the Pantograver, has been made to transfer star pictures on a glass 
negative direct to a copper plate, from which they can be printed 
without being retouched by hand. From the copper-plate any 
number of accurate copies can be re-produced for observations and 
measurements. 
Much light is being thrown on the chemistry of geology by the 
researches of Mr. W. Spring, who has shown that under great 
pressure copper and zinc filings may be completely amalgamated 
and so become brass; also lead and tin to form pewter. Sulphides 
of alkalis and alkaline earths may be similarly formed, whereas 
it was previously assumed that heat was necessary. He had also 
operated with moistened substances, under a pressure of 6000 
atmospheres—that is, about the same pressure to which the crust 
