166 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION A. 
is to be recommended, although lately this course has not been 
favourably regarded in some quarters. One of the fears is that 
by mixing good and bad work the results bear the appearance of 
mediocrity, and the value of the best work is thus greatly depre- 
ciated, if not entirely lost. This is no doubt very true in parti- 
cular cases, but not to such an extent as to render co-operation 
such as is practised by the sections of the British Astronomical 
Association undesirable. 
A system which directs the forces of many enthusiastic workers 
along distinct and controlled channels, all leading to the same 
end, must be beneficial to the majority of persons concerned, and 
could hardly fail to utilise energy with a maximum of efliciency. 
The inferior amateur soon abandons a course in which he can 
make no advance. What is mostly to be feared is absence of 
definite purpose, and the surest remedy against this danger is co- 
operation and co-ordination. 
The best service that can be rendered to astronomy by the 
amateurs in these colonies is to direct their efforts to a class or 
classes of observations which cannot be made by observers in the 
Northern Hemisphere. 
Thus the systematic exploration of the more southern skies in 
search of new objects ; accurate and extensive observations in 
meteoric phenomena are very desirable. 
If thestellarmagnitude of all the lucid stars south of declination— 
30° ccould be determined with Pritchard Wedge Photometer—we 
would have a uniform system of magnitudes complementary to the 
Uranometria Nova Oxoniensis extending over the whole of the 
heavens, which would be of the greatest value as an independent 
series for comparison with the series determined with the meridian 
Photometers of Prof. Pickering. There are several telescopes in 
the colonies belonging to private institutions or persons which 
could be successfully employed in the accomplishment of this task, 
by judiciously distributing and co-ordinating the work. 
These are mere suggestions of courses which seem most desirable 
to follow. 
It would be premature and inappropriate to go further into 
these questions at present. The possibilities of the future in 
regard to these and many other astronomical researches depending 
on private institutions and amateurs can only be gauged by an 
accurate knowledge of instrumental equipment, and the numerical 
strength, quality, and zeal of the observers available. Such infor- 
mation is not as yet completely obtainable. 
‘The New South Wales branch of the British Astronomical 
Association has led a good example, which has been followed by 
Victoria, and may influence the other colonies to gather together 
their amateur astronomers. 
