January 31, 1901] 



NA TURE 



333 



The following lectures will be delivered during February at 

 the Royal Victoria Hall, Waterloo Road, at 8.30 p.m. : — 

 February 5, "Germs, Our Friends and Foes," by Mr. J. E. 

 Purvis ; February 12, "The Eastern Hemisphere," by Mr. E. 

 J. Garwood; February 19, "An Old English Chemist of the 

 Seventeenth Century," by Dr. Donnan ; February 26, " Life 

 of the Natives of Sarawak," by Prof. Haddon. 



The new volume of " The Englishwoman's Year Book and 

 Directory for 1901 " (A. and C. Black) has been overlooked 

 . until now. The value of this annual lies in the fact that it is 

 a guide to spheres of activity open to women, and a summary 

 of women's contributions to intellectual progress during the 

 past year. The scientific summary is not complete, but it serves 

 to show that women are assisting in the advancement of many 

 departments of natural knowledge. 



The only journal in the world devoted entirely to the study 

 of ophthalmological refraction is the Dioptric and Ophthabno- 

 metric Review, published for and by the Council of the British 

 Optical Association. In addition to the articles, abstracts and 

 notes of special value to opticians, the revie a* contains contri- 

 butions of interest to all students of optical science. We notice, 

 for instance, descriptions of recent optical patents, and Jjie 

 questions set at the examination of the British Optical Associa- 

 tion in December. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include three Martinican Doves {Zenaida auritd) from 

 the West Indies, presented by Mr. D. Seth Smith ; a White- 

 backed Piping-Crow {Gymnorhina leuconotd) from Australia, 

 presented by Miss Crowder ; a Peregrine Falcon {Falco pere- 

 grtnus), European, presented by Mr. Alfred Ficken ; a Greater 

 Black-backed Gull {Lants marinus), European, presented by 

 the Hon. Mrs. Barnett ; a Himalayan Monkey (Maccuus 

 assamensis) from Northern India, a Mozambique Monkey 

 [Cercopitkecus pygerythrus) from East Africa, a Two-spotted 

 Paradoxure {Nandinia binotata), a Grey Parrot {Psittaciis 

 erithacus), a Shining Weaver Bird {Hypochera ttitens) from 

 West Africa, a Barbary Wild Sheep {Ovis tragelaphus) from 

 North Africa, a Barbary Falcon {Falco barbarus) captured in 

 the Red Sea, nine Ceylonese Terrapins {Nicoria trijugd) from 

 India, deposited; a Naked-throated Bell-bird {Chasmorhytichus 

 ntidicollis) from Brazil, purchased. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



Astronomical Occurrences in February. 



Feb. I. 6h. 32m. to 7h. i8m. Moon occults D.M. -J- 17°, 1596 

 (mag. 5-6). 

 2. I7h. 20m. to I7h. 42m. Moon occults A^ Cancri, 

 (mag. 5-6). 



2. iSh. 57m. to I9h. 47m. Moon occults A- Cancri, 



(mag. 5-8). 



3. I4h. 34m. to I5h. 37m. Moon occults a Leonis, 



(mag. 5-6). 

 9. I7h. 38m. to i8h. 53m. Moon occults B.A.C. 4700 



(mag. 5-3). 

 14. Venus. Illuminated portion of disc = "949, of Mars 



= '997- 

 14. Saturn. Outer minor axis of outer ring = i5"*o8. 

 14. I7h. Jupiter in conjunction with the moon. Jupiter 



2°5i'S. 



14. I9h. 7m. Jupiter's Satellite IV. in conjunction N. of 



the planet. 



15. iih. 20m. Minimum of Algol (3 Persei). 



18. 8h. 9m. Minimum of Algol (j8 Persei). 



19. loh. Mercury at greatest elongation, 18° 6' East. 



20. ih. Mercury in conjunction wiih the moon. Mercury 



3° 29' S. 



NO. 1631, VOL. 63] 



21. 6h. 54m. to 7h. 51m. Moon occults 51 Piscium 

 (mag. 57). 



21. i8h. Mars in opposition to the sun. 



22. loh. 20m. to iih. 7m. Moon occults ir Piscium 



(mag. 5-6). 

 24. i6h. 20m. to I9h. 13m. Transit of Jupiter's Satellite 

 III. 



Brooks' Minor Planets. — Referring to the recent note in 

 Nature (January 3) announcing the discovery of three new 

 minor planets near to Eros, Herr Kreuiz publishes, in the 

 current issue of the Astronomische Nachrichten, Bd. 154, No. 

 3682, a telegram from Prof. E. C. Pickering, of Harvard 

 College, saying : " Brooks' asteroids not confirmed on simul- 

 taneous plate ; stars near position given." 



Brorsen's Comet. — In the Astronomische Nachrichten (Bd. 

 154, No. 3681), A. Berberich gives .an ephemeris to facilitate 

 the search for the expected return of Brorsen's Comet this year. 



Ephemeris for oh. Berlin Mean Time. 



Decl. 



Ephemeris for Observations of Eros. 



Ephemeris for I2h. Berlin Mean Time. 

 1901. R.A. Decl. 



Mag. 



Elliptic Elements of Comet 1900 c— Herr H. Kreutz 

 has computed the following elliptic elements of Giacobini's 

 Comet (1900 <:) from the determinations of position made on 

 1900 December 24. 28, and 1901 January 14. {Astronomische 

 Nachrichten, Bd. 154, No. 3682). 



Epoch 1901 Jan. 14, Berlin Mean Time. 



M = 



6 45 47-0 



I 29 io"6 



196 32 33 -8 



m = 171 29 \o()\ 



33-8 ^ 1901-0 

 = 29 52 i6'9j 



•^ = 47 52 35-5 

 M = 55i"'9i4 

 log a = 0-558287. 



The following ephemeris by J. Moller is given in the same 

 journal : — 



Ephemeris for I2h. Berlin Mean Time. 

 1901. R.A. Decl. Br. 



h. m. s. , , 



Feb. 2 ... 2 22 4 ... -18 1 1 6 ... 0-32 



6 ... 2 37 29 ... 17 96 ... 0-28 



10 ... 2 52 10 ... 16 6-4 ... 024 



14 ..36 10 ... 15 30 ... 0-2I 



18 ... 19 33 ... 13 598 ... 0-19 



22 ... 32 21 ... 12 57-5 ... 0-17 



26 ... 3 44 40 .;. -II 56-8 ... 0-15 



Observations of the Comet by R. G. Aitken with the 36 in. 

 Lick refractor showed it as irregular in outline, with a con- 

 densation south — preceding the centre, and a small fan-shaped 

 extension in the north — following quadrant. 



