528 



NATURE 



[Sept. 27, 1888 



highest parts of Norway this summer, he noticed that foot- 

 prints a sumed a greenish hue, which was not the case with 

 new snow. It has generally been assumed that the snow Algae, 

 so » ell known in higher latitudes, did not as a rule flourish on 

 s now in Norway. 



The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge will publish 

 shortly a " Star Atlas," containing maps of all stars from 1 to 

 6"5 mag. between the North Pole and 34° south declination, 

 and of all nebula? and star clusters in the same region which are 

 visible in telescopes of moderate powers. The explanatory text, 

 by Dr. Hermann J. Klein, has been translated and adapted for 

 English readers by Mr. Edmund McCiure. 



Messrs. Crosby Lockwood and Son will publish during 

 the ensuing season the following works bearing on science : — 

 "The Metallurgy of Gold," a practical treatise on the metal- 

 lurgical treatment of gold-bearing ores, including the processes 

 of concentration and chlorination, and the assaying and refining 

 of gold, by M. Eissler, formerly Assistant Assayer of the United 

 States Mint, San Francisco ; with 90 illustrations. " Practical 

 Surveying," a text-book for students preparing for examinations 

 or the colonies, by George W. Usill, A.M.I.C.E. ; with 

 upwards of 330 illustrations. "Tables, Memoranda, and 

 Calculated Results for Farmers, Agricultural Students, Graziers, 

 Surveyors, Land Agents, Auctioneers, &c," with a new 

 system of farm book- keeping, selected and arranged by Sidney 

 Francis ; waistcoat pocket size. Also the following new volumes 

 in Lockwood's series of "Handy-books for Handicrafts " : — 

 " The Model Engineer's Handy-book," a practical manual, 

 embracing information on the tools, materials, appliances, and 

 processes employed in constructing model steam-engines, by P. 

 N. Hasluck ; with about one hundred illustrations and working 

 drawings (in the press). "The Clock Jobber's Handy-book," 

 a practical manual, embracing information on the tools, 

 materials, appliances, and processes employed in cleaning, 

 adjusting, and repairing clocks, by P. N. Hasluck ; with about 

 one hundred illustrations. " The Cabinet Worker's Handy- 

 book," a practical manual embracing information on the tools, 

 materials, appliances, and processes employed in cabinet work, 

 by P. N. Hasluck ; with about one hundred illustrations. 



In an interesting paper presenting a concise history of the 

 acclimatization of the Salmonidse in Tasmania, Mr. P. S. 

 Seager claims that success has been secured in the thorough 

 and unquestioned establishment of salmon trout and brown 

 trout, both of which species are now abundant in Tasmania. 

 The establishment of the true salmon is still to some extent a 

 matter of uncertainty. " It must, however, be borne in mind," 

 says Mr. Seager, "that more than one specimen submitted for 

 scientific examination to Dr. Gunther and others have been pro- 

 nounced S. salar, aud that Sir Thomas Brady has publicly stated 

 his belief that specimens shown to him are of the sam; species. 

 In speaking of them commercially, Sir Thomas states tha 1 such 

 specimens in a salmon-producing country would be accepted as 

 salmon without a doubt." This being so, Mr. Seager is of 

 opinion that the establishment of S. salar in Tasmania may 

 almost be regarded as an accomplished fact. 



Advices from the Philippine Islands, via Hong Kong and 

 Yokohama, received at Queenstown from New York on Saturday 

 morning last, state that over 300 lives were lost in those islands 

 by the eruption of an old volcano, named Mayon, at the latter 

 end of July. Several hundreds of houses were also destroyed 

 by the lava and a>hes, and the natives were in a state of panic. 

 Volcanoes in the islands of the Bissayar group were also in a 

 violent state of eruption, and it is thought there has been a 

 terrible loss of life. 



The Artisans' Classes at the Royal Victoria Hall will reopen 

 on Monday, October I. Among the subjects taught will be 



arithmetic, physiology, physiography, shorthand, chemistry 

 astronomy, mechanics, machine drawing, and electricity. Many 

 of the classes are in connection with the Science and Art 

 Department. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during 

 the past week include two Vulpine Phalangers {Phalangista 

 vulpina Q o ) from Australia, presented by Mr. J. M. Kirby ; a 

 Suricate (Surieala letradactyla) from South Africa, presented by 

 Lieut. Lionel de Latour Wells, R.N. ; a Common Teal (Quer- 

 quedula crecca 9 ), British, presented by Mr. Bergman ; an 

 European Pond Tortoise {Emys europeca), European, presented 

 by Master William Reed ; a Robben Island Snake (Coronella 

 phocarum) from South Africa, presented by the Rev. G. H. R. 

 Fisk, C.M.Z.S. ; an Ourang-outang {Simia satyrus 9 ) from 

 Borneo, a Ruffed Lemur (Lemur var.'us) from Madagascar, a 



Larger Hill Mynah (Graeula intermedia) from India, two 



Tree Ducks (Dmdrocygna ) from the Celebes? deposited; 



a Capuchin (Ceous 9 ) from Brazil, two Brush-tailed 



Kangaroos (Petrogale pcnicillata 6 o ) from Australia, pur- 

 chased ; a Chinese Goose (Anser cygnoides ) from China, 

 received in exchange. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



Comet 1888 £ (Barnard). — The comet discovered by Bar- 

 nard on September 2 is increasing in brightness, but is still a 

 faint object. M. Bigourdan describes it on September 5 as 

 showing a round nebulosity from 1' to l'"5 in diameter, with a 

 fairly stellar nucleus, of magnitude \\\ or 12. The nebulosity 

 was not quite symmetrical with regard to the nucleus, but was 

 most developed in the direction of position-angle 20°. The fol- 

 lowing elements are by Dr. A. Berberich from observations 

 madeatStrassburg, September 4 and 8, and Dresden. September^ 

 (Aslr. Nach., No. 2858) :— 



T — 1889 January 29-0959, Berlin M.T. 



co = 341 43 27'g ) 



a = 358 6 20-8 '• Mean Eq. i888x>. 

 1 = 166 20 28*2 ) 

 log (/ xs 0-252291 

 Error of middle place (O - C). A\ = - 



A£ 



Epliemeris for Berlin Midnight. 

 Decl. Log r. 



R.A. Decl. Log r. Log a. Bright- 



h. m. s. o / ness - 



Sept. 30... 640 1... 8 37-7 N.... 03694 ... 0-3326 ... 2-27 



Oct. 2... 63754... 823-4 



4 ••• 6 35 33 ... 8 8-4 ... 0-3637 ... 03081 ... 2-59 



6 ... 6 32 56 ... 7 52-6 



8... 630 2... 7359 ... 0-3580 ... 02822 ... 3'oo 



10 ... 6 26 48 .. 7 18-^ 



12... 62314... 6 59-5 N. . 0-3523 ... 02550 ... 3-51 



The brightness on September 2 has been taken as unity. 



Prof. Krueger has deduced very similar elements to the above,, 

 using an observation made at Hamburg on September 13 instead 

 of that made at Dresden. 



Comets Brooks and Faye. — The following ephemerides for 

 these two comets are in continuation of those given in Nature 

 for September 20 (p. 503), and are by Dr. H. Kreutz :— 



Comet 1888 c (Brooks). 

 1888. R.A. Decl. 



h. m. s. o / 



Sept. 30 ... 15 30 41 ... 14 47-4 N. 

 Oct. 2 ... 15 37 15 ... 13 28-2 



4 ••• 15 43 35 ••• I2 n ' 6 

 6 ... 15 49 42 ... 10 570 



8 ■• 15 55 35 ••• 9 463 



10 ... 16 1 16 ... 8 377 



12 ... 16 6 46 ... 7 31-7 



14 ... 16 12 6 ... 6 28-2 



16 ... 16 17 18 ... 5 27-1 N. 



Comet i883rf(Faye). 



R.A. Decl. 



h. m. s. 1 



7 6 24 ... 14 3 N. 



7 10 19 ... 13 4' 



7 14 8 ... 13 19 



7 17 51 ... 12 56 



7 21 29 ... 12 3} 



7 25 o ... 12 10 



7 28 25 ... n 47 



7 31 43 ... 11 23 



7 34 55 ••• 10 59 N. 



Comet Brooks is slowly decreasing in brightness, but Comet 

 Faye is brightening. 



