Dec. 21, 1875] 



MATURE 



151 



important contributions to our knowledge of the variable 

 stars, the eighth of a series commenced in No. 1628, ten 

 years since. The observations discussed in the last com- 

 munication were chiefly made in 1874, but there are also 

 observations of several objects to the middle of the present 

 year. In the comparisons of the observed epochs of 

 maxima and minima with those calculated, the elements 

 in Schonfeld's second Catalogue (Manheim, 1875), which 

 should be in the hands of every obsener of variable stars, 

 have been employed, while in a few cases new elements 

 are given. 



Mira Ceti was at minimum 1874, Nov. 20 (mag. 8'6), 

 and at maximum 1875, March 4 (mag. 2-5), the latter being 

 about eight days later than is deduced from Argelander's 

 formula of sines. — T Tauri, the star adjoining the variable 

 nebula in Taurus (Hind, 1852), has exhibited irregular 

 fluctuations between the years 1868 and 1875; previous 

 to 1868 it had occasionally been as bright as 9"5, but 

 according to Schonfeld's obser\'ations since that year, it 

 has not been higher than io"3, while at a maximum, 1871 

 Nov. 25, it was only i2'o, and at another very certain 

 one, 1874 Feb. 10, it was 117. Schonfeld states that the 

 nebula of 1852 was invisible in the Manheim refractor 

 (6*5 inches aperture) during the whole period 1868-75, 

 while the small nebula detected by Mr. Otto Struve im- 

 mediately preceding this was only occasionally glimpsed. 

 This spot requires to be closely watched with large instru- 

 ments. — U Geminorum was satisfactorily observed at a 

 maximum, 1874 Feb. 4*4 (mag. 9-6), ixi days after the 

 preceding one ; another maximum may be expected at 

 the beginning of January next, or possibly in the last 

 days of the present month ; since the discovery of this 

 star in 1855, it has shown variation of period between 

 about 70 and 150 days. 



R Crateris, the star following a, which Sir John 

 Herschel describes (Cape Obs., p. 448) as of " a most in- 

 tense and curious colour," and " scarlet, almost blood 

 colour," has exhibited during the last ten years a slight 

 variation estimated from 8"2 to 8'9 mag., but the obser- 

 vations have not afforded any epoch to assist in deter- 

 mination of elements. — S Virginis has been twice 

 observed by Schonfeld at minimum viz., 1874, April 20 

 (mag. I2'5), and 1875, April 26 (mag. I2"4), which he 

 believes are the first minima yet secured ; at certain 

 maxima this star becomes distinctly visible without the 

 telescope (mag. 57). — x Cygni attained a maximum 1874, 

 Nov 9, mag. 47, or about midway between <^ and jj 

 Cygni ; this epoch is upwards of two months later than 

 the date assigned by Argelander's formula in the Bonn 

 Observations, vol. vii., but the extreme difference between 

 the formula and obser\'ation appears to have occurred in 

 1870, when it exceeded three months ; the star must be 

 near a maximum at the present time. — R Vulpeculze : the 

 further observations support the addition of the term 

 depending on E- introduced in Schonfeld's last cata- 

 logue ; he remarks that a uniform period would involve 

 differences from the observed epochs amounting to twenty- 

 two days, while these epochs are uncertain to three days 

 at the most. — S Pegasi. This star, detected by Mr. Marth 

 at Malta, 1864, Nov. 24, when its magnitude was 8*3, was 

 at maximum 1874, July 8 (mag. 7.3) : it must not be con- 

 founded with the star which first appeared upon our list 

 of variables as S Pegasi, the insertion of which probably 

 arose from an error of observation. The position of the 

 variable for i876"o is in R,A., 23!!. 13m. 46s; N.P.D., 

 81= 48'-8. 



The following are Greenwich times of geocentric 

 minima of Algol according to the third elements of 

 Schonfeld (Der Lichtwandel des Sterns Algol in Per- 

 seus. Manheim, 1870). 



d. h. m. d. h. m. 



1875. Dec. 24 15 7 1876. Jan. 2 5 35 

 » 27 II 57 „ „ 16 13 41 



„ „ 30 8 46 „ „ 19 ID 30 



„ „ 22 7 20 



The next maximum of Mira Ceti may be expected about 

 January i^. 



The Mixor Planets. — M. Bossert has calculated 

 elements of the small planet discovered by M. Paul 

 Henry at Paris, Nov. 2, from which it appears the planet 

 is not identical with No. 98, Dike, as surmised by Prof. 

 Tietjen, and the actual number in this group, therefore, 

 stands at 157. The best orbit of Dike is that of MM. 

 Loewy and Tisserand {Comptes Rendus, 1872, Feb. 19), 

 and is subjoined with M. Bossert's for No. 152, for the 

 sake of comparison. 



Na 98, Dike. No. 152. 



Longitude of perihelion ... 



Ascending node 



Inclination 



Angle of excentricity ... 

 Log. semi-axis major 

 Long, from equinox ot ... 



240 35 34 -• 80 o 3 



41 43 42 ... 41 28 49 



13 53 18 ... 12 10 13 



13 47 30 •■- 4 42 59 



0446639 ... 049582 



1868 -o ... 1S750 



Circular No. 37, issued by Prof. Tietjen, contains ephe- 

 merides of Sylvia, Austria, No. 148 with elements from 

 two months' obser\'ations. No. 150, No. 151 from elements 

 founded on three weeks' observations. No. 152, No. 153, 

 and No. 156 : a circular orbit of the latter places the 

 ascending node in 253"^ 52', with an inclination of 4° 42'. 



Coggia's Comet, 1874.— Dr. Schmidt, Director of the 

 Observator\' at Athens, publishes the first portion of the 

 results of his observations on the appearance of the gieat 

 comet of 1874, between May 3 and July 23, when he 

 believes to have glimpsed the tail for the last time. The 

 observations refer to the brightness of the nucleus as 

 viewed in the telescope, and of the head of the comet 

 seen with the naked eye, the apparent length of the tail, 

 and semi-diameter of the coma ; the measures are not 

 reduced to actual values, in the absence of a complete 

 ephemeris from good elements. On June 9 and subse- 

 quently the nucleus was always remarked to be yellow, 

 and the mean of its apparent diameters, given by Dr. 

 Schmidt, would be, for the earth's mean distance, about 

 o**65, or 290 miles, as we find by taking the distance of 

 the comet from the earth, deduced from one of the best 

 paraboUc orbits. 



HUMAN ANATOMY AS A PART OF THE 

 BIOLOGICAL CURRICULUM 



\ ITE would draw the attention of our readers to the fol- 

 ' ^ lowing " minute " from Cambridge, dated Dec. 2 : — 

 " The Board of Natural Sciences Studies report that 

 the study of human anatomy in the University is at a 

 disadvantage in consequence of its not occupying a more 

 prominent and definite position in the Natural Sciences 

 Tripos. It is found from experience that medical students 

 who are candidates for the Natural Sciences Tripos re- 

 linquish the study of human anatomy untU after the 

 examination for the Tripos, and many are therefore de- 

 terred from making the attempt to obtain a degree 

 with honours. Further, the more distinct recognition of 

 human anatomy in the examination for the Tripos cannot 

 fail to elevate the character of the teaching and study of 

 it in the University as a branch of science, especially as 

 it is contemplated by the Board that the subject of human 

 anatomy shall include the mechanism of the human body, 

 the comparison of its parts with those of lower animals, 

 its development, &c. In proposing this addition to the 

 subjects of the Natural Sciences Tripos it is not intended 

 to add to the number of subjects with which students are 

 expected to be acquainted ; but the subjects represented 

 in the examination are now so numerous and extensive 

 that they have become practically, to a large extent, alter- 

 native, and the additional subject would, it is thought, 

 prove attractive to a large ntimber of students. The 

 addition would also help to maintain the connection be- 

 tween the schools of Natural Science and Medicine. 



