Dr. Bowditch, President of the American Academy. xix 
observed, according to Dr. Bowditch, that in the Solar Tables of 
Delambre, published in 1806, the form of the Table is wholly 
altered; the method of entry by a double argument being used; 
and thus by taking a different path the error is avoided without 
noticing that it really does exist in the other works.* 
This paper was followed by an elaborate one upon the oblateness 
of the earth; which was suggested by some errors contained in the 
article “ Earth,” published in “ Rees’s Cyclopedia.” Dr. Bowditch 
was induced to notice the article in question, because that popular 
work had an extensive circulation in this country, and it was 
desirable that “currency should not be given to inaccurate ideas 
on the subject.” + 
His next paper is only a demonstration of the practical method 
(given in his Navigator) of correcting the apparent distance of 
the moon from the sun, or a star for the effects of parallax and 
refraction. The advantage of his rule is, that all the corrections are 
additive, which renders it peculiarly adapted to the daily use of 
mariners. 
This was followed by a communication upon an improved formula, 
by himself, for computing the Dip of the Magnetic Needle in differ- 
ent latitudes, according to the theory of the French mathematician, 
Biot. 
His next communication was on the methods of correcting the 
elements of the orbit of a Comet, in Newton’s Principia and La 
Place’s Mécanique Céleste. This was first published in the fourth 
volume of the Academy’s Memoirs; but the substance of it had 
been communicated several years before to the late Rev. Dr. 
Willard, then president of the University, and one of the best prac- 
tical astronomers of that period. Some importance is justly attached 
to this paper, as it relates to methods originally adopted by Newton 
* Mem. Amer. Acad. Vol. IV. p. 28. + Ibid. p. 30. 
