Jan. 2, 1890 



NATURE 



207 



exact time was a little uncertain, the conditions being far 

 from favourable. Possibly the spot may have effected its 

 passage a little before this time, as from several views of 

 the following end of this object at about 4h. 30m., I con- 

 cluded my estimate might be a trifle late, but in any case 

 the error would be small. 



Comparing the observation on November 26]with that 

 recorded on May 21, it will be found that in the interval 

 of i88"64 days the red spot completed 456 rotations, and 

 that its mean period was gh. 55m. 40*1 5s. This is nearly 

 identical with the rotation period I found for the same 

 object in 1888, when it was gh. 55m. 40"24s. (462 rotations), 

 and in 1887, when the figures were gh. 5Sm. 4o"5s. It is 

 evident from these several determinations that during the 

 last three oppositions the motion of the spot has been 

 very consistent and equable. There has been a slight 

 acceleration perhaps in velocity, inducing the rotation 

 period to become a little shorter, but the differences are 

 so small that they may well be covered by the observa- 

 tional errors which cannot be altogether eliminated from 

 work of this character, and particularly at a time when 

 the object observed is unfavourably placed. In any case 

 the red spot has rotated with more celerity during the last 

 year or two than in 1886, when its mean period was 

 9h. 55m. 4ris., to which it had gradually increased from 

 9h. 55m. 34'2s. in 1879-80. These variations of motion 

 may be regularly effected in a cycle, and it will be very 

 important if future observations can determine the exact 

 period. 



The white spots near the equator of Jupiter are still 



occasionally visible, but it has not been feasible to secure 



I views of them of a sufficiently exact nature to deduce 



f their rotations. In recent years the apparent velocity of 



\ these objects has been decreasing, for while in the autumn 



' of 1880 their period was 9h. 50m. 6s., it was found, from 



many observations of similar markings by Mr. A. Stanley 



Williams, of Brighton, in 1887, that it had increased to 



9h. 50m. 22'4s. 



Smce 1884 a number of white spots have been also 

 observed on the northern borders of the great northern 

 equatorial belt. The period of these is but very slightly 

 less than that of the red spot. On September 12, I ob- 

 served one of these situated in a longitude not far pre- 

 ceding the west end of the red spot, and it appeared to 

 have divided the equatorial belt with a vein of bright 

 material. There was another object of the same kind 

 following the red spot, but in this case the continuity of 

 the belt was not interrupted, the bright matter appearing 

 as a slight indentation in its northern side. • These mark- 

 ings are shown in a drawing of Jupiter made by Mr. 

 Keder with the great Lick refractor, power 315, on 

 September 5 last, but they are not delineated in quite 

 the same characters as seen here. The drawing alluded 

 to is perhaps the best and the most replete with detail of 

 any I have ever seen of this planet, and it furnishes clear 

 testimony that the defining properties of the 36-inch 

 telescope are of the highest order. 



The curiously curved belt immediately north of the red 

 spot is still one of the most -prominent features on the 

 planet's disk. It forms the southern half of the great 

 south equatorial belt which is double. Under the ends 

 •of the red spot it suddenly dips to the north and runs 

 into the other half of the belt. In recent years the 

 curved belt has been very dark and pronounced in the 

 region contiguous to the following end of the red spot, 

 and upon its crest there have been condensations of 

 •extremely dark matter. Under the preceding end of the 

 spot this belt is, however, more delicate in tone, and it 

 looks like a mere pencil shading. 



During the few ensuing years these interesting features 

 may be studied to greater effect, as the planet will assume 

 a more northerly position, and rise above the vaporous 

 undulations which have recently much interfered with 

 •observations of his surface. W. F. Denning. 



NOTES. 



Dr. Archibald Geikie, F.R.S., has just received a diploma 

 of membership of the Kaiserlich Leopoldinisch-Carolinisch 

 Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher, the oldest scientific 

 Society of Germany. 



Sir John Lubbock's name appears in the list of those who 

 have received New Year's honours and appointments. He has 

 been made a member of the Privy Council. A baronetcy has 

 been conferred on William Scovell Savory, F. R. S., President 

 of the Royal College of Surgeons. 



The Paris municipality proposes to do honour to the memory 

 of Darwin by naming a new street after him. 



A Committee has been formed in Paris for the purpose of 

 preparing the way for the erection of a statue of the late M. 

 Boussingault. His scientific researches were of so much service 

 to industry, especially to agriculture, that the Committee ought 

 to have little difficulty in obtaining the necessary funds. 



The death of Sir Henry Yule, which we regret to have to 

 record, is a great loss to geographical science. He died on 

 Monday, in his seventieth year. His masterpiece was his 

 splendid edition of the "Book of Ser Marco Polo" — a work 

 to the permanent value of which he added largely by his 

 learned and luminous notes. 



We regret to announce the death, after an illness which lasted 

 some months, of M. Eugene Deslongrhamps, of the Chateau 

 Mathieu, Calvados. He was formerly Professor of Zoology and 

 Palaeontology at the Faculty of Sciences at Caen, and a member 

 of the committee of the " Palaeontologie Frangaise." He was the 

 son of the celebrated French palaeontologist, Prof. Eudes-Deslong- 

 champs, and published several memoirs on the palseontological 

 fauna of Normandy, ranging from Brachiopoda to the Crocodilia. 

 His best known memoirs are the " Prodrome des Teleosauriens 

 du Cavaldos " and " Les Brachiopodes des Terrains Jurassiques." 



German papers announce the death of Dr. Karl Edward 

 Venus, an eminent entomologist, and founder of the Entomo- 

 logical Society " Iris," at Dresden. He died on December 13. 



The Congress of Russian men of science and physicians is 

 now holding its eighth meeting. Work began on December 28, 

 and will go on until January 7. 



The general meeting of the Association for the Improvement 

 of Geometrical Teaching will be held in the Botanical Theatre, 

 University College, London, on Friday, January 17, At the morn- 

 ing sitting (11 a.m.) the reports of the Council and the Commit- 

 tees will be read, the new officers will be elected, and various 

 candidates will be proposed for election as members of the Asso- 

 ciation. After an adjournment for luncheon at i p.m., members 

 will reassemble for the afternoon sitting (2 p.m. ), at which papers 

 will be read by the Rev. Dr. C. Taylor, on "A New Treatment 

 of the Hyperbola" ; by Mr. G. Heppel, on " The Teaching of 

 Trigonometry;" by Mr. E. M. Langley, on "Some Geome- 

 trical Theorems " ; and by the President (Prof. Minchin), on 

 " Statics and Geometry." 



The Annual Conference of the Principals of the University 

 Colleges was held on Tuesday at the Durham College of Science, 

 Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Principal Garnett occupying the chair. 

 The Principals were subsequently entertained at dinner by the 

 chairman. Several questions affi:cting the interests of the 

 Colleges collectively were discussed at the meeting, and it was 

 decided on the invitation of Principal Reichel that the next 

 gathering should be held at University College, Bangor. 



The Paris Municipal Council has lately instituted two new 

 scientific chairs in the Hotel de Ville. One of them is devoted 



