THE PLANET NEPTUNE. 37 



earlier observations. The ratio of the diameter of the 

 ring to that of the planet, was about that of three 

 to two. 



On the other hand, the great telescope at Cambridge, 

 Mass., shows no ring. The following is the testimony 

 of the director, Mr. W. C. Bond. " We are satisfied that 

 there is not at present visible any ring surrounding 

 Neptune within the reach of the Cambridge telescope. 

 Both my son George and myself have repeatedly had 

 opportunities of examining the planet under high powers 

 with the full aperture of fifteen inches, and have seen 

 only a round disc, while our micrometrical measures of 

 his diameter agreed well together." 



Mr. Lassell's present opinion appears to be less in 

 favor of a ring than formerly. Yet, on the 29th of 

 August, 1851, he recorded in his journal, " I received 

 again an impression of a ring-like appendage, but it is 

 principally on the south side, and is nearly at right angles 

 to a parallel of declination." Also on the 4th of Novem- 

 ber, 1852, at Malta, in latitude 35 53', under the most 

 favorable atmospheric circumstances, he recorded in his 

 journal, " I receive a decided impression of ellipticity in 

 the direction of the greatest elongation of the satellite. 

 There is an impression of an extremely flattened ring in 

 the direction of the transverse axis. I think I have 

 never seen Neptune so well before." It is understood 

 that the astronomers at Pulkova have not yet succeeded 

 in observing any appearance such as would lead to the 

 suspicion of a ring. Under these circumstances, if we 



