460 



♦ KNOWLEDGE 



[May 29, 1885. 



on stout drawing-paper, and requiring many sheets to in- 

 clude the country that can be covered in a day's ride, they 

 are too bulky to carry about with you when riding. All 

 other maps published are based on those of the Ordnance 

 Survey, and are generally only reductions in scale from 

 them, whoever may be the publisher. 



Messrs. W. H. Smith & Sons publish a set of reduced 

 Ordnance maps, on the scale of four miles to the inch. 

 These are well engraved, and as they are published in 

 sheets, containing a district of about seventy miles by 

 fifty, mounted on cloth in covers, at Is. each sheet, they 

 are exceedingly cheap ; but they have the great fault that 

 the roads are not at all clearly shown, and elevations are 

 not given. 



Messrs. Letts it Son publish a map specially for cyclists, 

 on the scale of four miles to one inch. Tliis map embraces 

 an extent of country 96 miles by 85, and therefore con- 

 tains nearly 7,700 square mile?. An idea of its extent 

 may be formed from the fact that it includes Bucking- 

 ham, Harwich, Portsmouth, Eastbourne, and Eamsgate. 

 The principal elevations are given, and the best roads are 

 indicated by being printed in colours, and dangerous hills 

 are marked. It is bound in cloth, and folded so small that 

 it will go easily into the pocket. The price is 2s. Gd., or 

 mounted on linen 5s. Every tricyclist should have this 

 map. 



Messrs. George Phillips & Son have published a set of 

 county maps specially for cyclists. They show the main 

 roads in colour, dangf reus hills in three different degrees, 

 and the direction of the danger ; places where there are 

 hotels which cater specially for cyclists, in connection with 

 the Cyclists' Touring Club; also where there are repairers 

 of machines who can be recommtnded in case of accidents. 

 In some of the counties — for example, Sussex — the scale is 

 too small to enable the roads to be followed easily. These 

 mfp; sre folded in c!oth cases, an I published at Is. each 

 cOciuty, or mounttd in cloth 2s. 



The tame lirm has published a map extending from St. 

 Albans on the north to Reigate on the south, and from 

 Chatham on the east to Windsor on the west. This is 

 on the most convenient scale of all, half an inch to the 

 mile, as it gives space for considerable detail and is yet 

 portable enough to go into the small valise carried on the 

 tricycle by every rider. This map is printed in colours, 

 and the main roads are shown by being coloured brown. 

 It is published folded in a cloth cover for Is., and mounted 

 on linen the price is 2s. 6d. 



Another map on the same scale would embrace all the 

 country between Reigate and Brighton. This would be a 

 great boon to cyclists, and, as it is well known that the 

 happy hunting-ground of the numerous London riders lies 

 in this direction, I feel tolerably sure the publishers would 

 find the issue of such a map remunerative ; and, if so, they 

 might be tempted to issue another of the country north of 

 London, in which ca.se, as far as maps for cyclists are 

 concerned, there would be little or nothing more to be 

 desired. 



Ancient Greek Colour-s. — The acquaintance of tlie ancient 

 Greeks and Egyptians with the properties and applications of 

 colours is |u-oved by tlio traofs of decoration found on ancient 

 monuments, both arcliitectural and sepulclu-al. Information 

 derived from other anti(|uarian sources has enabled Dr. Landerer, 

 of Athens, to contribute an interjstiug article to the Wochensclirift 

 Jiii- Spinnerci uiid Wcherei, according to which black, grey, and 

 brown colours were known in ancient times, as also purple dyes of 

 vegetable and animal origin. Wool was dyed with purple twice, 

 and the necessary brilliancy of tone was imparted to it by a special 

 process. Some ancient veils discovered in a tomb were found on 

 careful investigation to bear traces of the application of metallic 

 colours. — The Dyer. 



FIRST STAR LESSONS. 



' ' By Richard A. Proctor. 



THE constellations included in the twenty-four msps of 

 this series are numbered throughout as follows (the 

 names being omitted on the maps, to clear these as far as 

 possible from all that might render the star-grouping less 

 distinct) : — 



G. 



7. 



8. 



0. 



10. 



11. 



12. 

 13. 

 14. 

 15. 



16. 



17. 



18. 

 19. 

 20. 



21. 



Ursa Mivor, the Little Bear 



(a, the Pule Star). 

 Braco, the JJiarion (n, 



Thulan) 

 Cephevs, King Cephe^^s. 

 Cassiopeia, the Lady in the 



Chair. 

 Persens, the Chavtpion (/3, 



Ahjol, famous variable). 

 Avriga, the Charioteer (a, 



Cnpella) 

 Ursa Major, the Greater 



Bear (a, ft, the pointers). 

 Canes Venatici, the Hunting 



Ihgs (a, Cor Caroli). 

 Coma Berenices, Queen 



Berenice's Hair. 

 Bootes, the Herdsman (a, 



Arcturiis). 

 Corona Borealis, the Nor- 

 thern Crown. 

 Serpens, the Serpent. 

 Hercides, the Kneeler. 

 Lyra, the Lyre (a, Vega). 

 Cygmcs, the Sivan (a, 



Arided ; ft, Alhires). 

 Pegasus, the Winged Horse. 

 Andromeda, the Chained 



Lady. 

 Triangula, the Triangles. 

 Aries, the Ram. 

 Tanrus, the Bull (a. Aide- 



liaran ; ij, Alcyone, chiei 



Pleiad). 

 Gemini, the Tivins {a. 



Castor ; ft, Pollux). 



32. 

 33. 



34. 



35. 



36. 

 37. 

 38. 



39. 



40. 

 41. 



42. 

 43. 



44. 



45. 



Cancer, the Crai (the 

 cluster is the Beehire). 



Leo, the Lion {a, Begulus). 



Virgo, the Virgin {a, Spica) 



Libra, the Scales. 



Ophiuchus, the Serpent 

 Holder. 



Aqvila, the Bagle {a,AUair). 



Delphinus, the Dolphin. 



Aquarius, the Water Carrier. 



Pisces, the Fishes. 



Cetus, the Sea Wonster (o, 

 Mira, remarkable va- 

 riable). 



Eridanus, the River. 



Orion, the Giant Hunter 

 (a, Betelgeux ; ft, Rigel). 



Cams Minor, the Lesser Dog 

 {a, Procyon). 



Hydra, the Sea Serpent (o, 

 Alpihard), 



Crater, the Cup (a, Alhes). 



Corvus, tlie Crow. 



Scorpiio, the Scorpion (a, 

 Antares). 



Sagittarius, the Archer. 



Capricornus, the Sea Goat. 



Piscis Australis, the Sou- 

 thern Fish (a, Fomal- 

 haut). 



Lepxis, the Hare. 



Columba, the Dove. 



Canis Major, the Greater- 

 Dog (a, Sirius). 



Argo, the Ship. 



CHAPTERS ON MODERN DOMESTIC 

 ' ECONOMY. 



XXIX.— THE FRAMEWORK OF THE DWELLING-HOUSE. 

 STRUCTURAL EXAMPLES (continued). 



THE DISPOSAL OF HOUSEHOLD REFUSE. 



ANOTHER distinct type of appliance, and one whicb 

 we have not hitherto alluded to, is the form known 

 as the " Solid Plug " Closet, of which there are very many 

 kinds in the market. The distinctive peculiarity of these 

 closets is that the mechanism employed to seal a sufficient 

 quantity of water in the basin, consists of a solid plug 

 which is lifted by the handle perpendicularly up and down, 

 and it obviously follows that in all these cases the outlet 

 must of necessity occupy a lateral position, as in the variety 

 of wash-out basins noticed in our last. The action of the 

 common form now in use is somewhat as follows : — When 

 the pull-up handle is raised, the bulk of water with its 

 contained refuse Hows out through the outlet ; but upon 

 f.>rcingthe handle back, the plug, in descending, is apt 

 to wed>.e in a small quantity of foul matter, and unwhole- 

 some gases are thus generated, to escape directly above 

 through the aperture provided for the passage of the handle 

 rod. This is more particularly noticeable when there is a 

 trapped overflow [^connected with the inferior trap, or the 

 soil-pipe, below the region of the plug. 



