N0\-EMBER 1, 1899.] 



KNOWLEDGE. 



253 



E. LEOXrS, MIKA, AXD S. S. CYGNI. 



To the Editors or Knowuidge. 



SiKs, — A maximum of R. Leonis was predicted for Jmie 

 26l;h, 1899, but eliminating all corrections and seeming 

 errors, and computing from previous data, especially from 

 Gore's observation of February 17th, 1890 ( B. A. A. FUport.-i), 

 which was, according to Yendell (Pop. Ast., June 1897), 

 four days late, the maximum should have occurred July 

 28rd of the present year. I have followed the star 

 assiduously this season, and hope the figures presented 

 will show a curve characteristic of this highly interesting 

 variable. 



Mag. 

 805 

 7-90 

 7-85 

 765 

 7-10 

 6-90 

 695 

 700 

 6-87 

 6-35 

 6-25 

 6-25 

 6-25 

 6-30 

 635 

 630 

 C45 

 6-40 

 650 

 6 55 

 6P5 

 fi-95 

 710 

 715 

 7-40 

 „ 10 (lost behind trees). 



Putting the maximum on May 21st, the star is still, 

 allowing all corrections and errors, thirty-five days ahead, 

 and by my own figuring sixty-three days. The following is 

 a record of S. S. Cygni, maximum just passing : — 



Mag. Mag. 



Aug. 22 (inrisible) Sep. 2 ... 8-15 



S-30 



8-35 



890 



, , -- I " " 9 60 



Sep. 1 ... 8-30 „ 7 (last seen) 1000 



There is no error or mistake in the light of the star on 

 August 2.')th and 26th, as it stood out bright and distinct 

 from its surroundings. 



My first view of Mii-a o Ceti this season was on July 

 19th at 3 a.m., when it was about 7th magnitude, and I 

 have eighteen observations since then, more than one-half 

 being in the small hours of the morning. From July 19th 

 to August 20th, the star advanced slowly and came to a 

 halt, at which it remained for several days and then fell 

 slowly, reaching oth magnitude when last seen September 

 7th. Whether the maximum is past or one is to come 

 remains to be seen. 



Memphis, Tenn., U.S.A., David Flaneey. 



nth September, 1899. 



Britisi^ <!5rniti^oloatfal Notes. 



Conducted by Habet F. Witherbt, f.z.s., m.b.o.u. 



Sose-coloured Pastor in Ireland (Irish Naturalist, October, 1899, 

 p. 230).— Mr. E. 'Williams records that an adult male of this species^ 

 which is of very irregular occurrence in Ireland, was shot bv Mr. A. 

 Brooke, at KiUybegs, Co. Donegal, on July 20th last. 



yight Heron in Co. Wexford, Ireland CIrish Xati'.ralist, October, 

 1899, p. 230).— Mr. G. E. H. Barrett- Hamilton records that a male 

 of this species was shot near Killinick. and is now in the Dublin 

 Museiun. The Xight Heron is a rare visitor to Ireland. Mr. 

 Hamilton thinks that only fifteen instances of its occurrence have 

 been recorded, while Mr. Saunders puts the number at about twenty. 



Wood Sandpiper in Co. Waterford, Ireland {Irish Naturalist, 

 October, 1899, p. 231).— Mr. E. WilUams writes that :i Wood Sand- 

 piper was shot by Mr. J. F. Knox on the Black Strand, Tramorc, 

 Co. Waterford, on August 26th last. This is only the fifth specimen 

 of the species which has been recorded for Ireland. 



Increase and Decrease of Certain Species of Sirdg in the Tay 

 Area. Bv Col. John Campbell, M.B.o.r. (Annals of Scottish 

 Natural History, October, 1899, pp. 19S-206).— Col. Campbell gives 

 an interesting and satisfa?tory history of the increase of the Tufted 

 Duck, the Pochard, the Widgeon, the Shoveller, and the Stock Dove 

 in the Tay area. He also gives reasons for the deplorable decrease 

 of the Groldfinch, Dotterel, Spotted Woodpecker, and other birds, 

 and suggests remedies. Tlie paper is a valuable addition to others 

 of the same kind which have appeared from time to time in the pages 

 of our contemporary. 



Observations on the Birds of the Islands of Tiree and Coll. By 

 Lt.-Col. L. H. Irby, F.i,.s., r.z.s. (Annals of Scottish Natural 

 Sistory, October, 1899, pp. 206-210).— Col. Irby here supplements a 

 list of tlie birds in Tii-ee by Peter Anderson, published in the same 

 magazine in July, 1898. 



Scaup-duck Nestinq in Scotland. Bv J. A. Harvie-Browu {Annals 

 of Scottish Natural' History, October. 1899, pp. 215 and 216).— 

 Mr. Harvie-Brown publishes a communication which he has received 

 from Mr. H. Xoble, to the effect that he found in June the undoubted 

 nest of Fuligula marila, in Sutherlandshire. Sir. Noble identified 

 the male at close quarters, and saw the female leave the nest. The 

 nest was deep, cup-shaped, and better made than most ducks' nests. 

 There were nine eggs. The Scaup is a very common bird on our 

 shores in the winter months, and although it has several times been 

 asserted that the bird has bred in Scotland, this is the first record 

 which has been confirmed. 



Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Norfolk (Zoologist, October, 1899, 

 p. 475). — An immatuj'e male specimen of the American wader 

 (Tringites rufescens) was shot by Mr. E. C. Arnold on .September 7th, 

 between Wells and Cromer. This bird is an exceedingly rare straggler 

 to our islands. 



Icferine WarbUr in Norfolk (Zoologist. OctoheT.lS09,p.47o). — Mr. 

 E. C. Arnold records that he secured a specimen (sex not mentioned) of 

 this bird on September 5tli, between Wells and Cromer. The bird 

 has been identified by Mr. J. H. Gurney. Although a common 

 enough species on the Continent, we believe that the above is only the 

 ninth example which has been identified in the British Islands. 



Breeding of the Tufted Duck in South-ircsf Derbyshire (Zoologist, 

 October, 1899, p. 476).— From a note by the Kev. Francis C. R. 

 Jourdain it seems that this bird now breeds regularly in several places 

 in Derbvshire. 



Grey Phalarope in Co. Armagh. Ireland (Zoologist, October, 

 1899, p. 477). — Mr. Marsden received, on September 30th, a yoimg 

 male of this uncommon visitor to Ireland from Mr. W. Eeatley, who 

 shot the bird on the Logan on September 28th. 



All contributions to the column, either in the way of notes 

 or photographs, should be forwarded to Habby F. Withebby, 

 at 1, Eliot Place, Blackheath, Kent. 



Science i^otes. 



The Buckinghamshire Archteological Society has finished 

 for the season the excavating work which it resumed at 

 Hedsor after a lapse of some years. Originally brought to 

 light in 1894, this site of pile dwellings in the Thames 

 Valley ranks with the few, such as those at Glastonbury 

 and Braintree, which have been discovered in the southern 

 part of this island. One must not judge of the interest 

 which surrounds the place in question by the special 

 remains of early man and his work, which have been dug 

 up in addition to the piles and brushwood tioor, for there 

 are not many. The explorers have not met with anything 

 of great interest in this connection during their recent 

 work, to make the laborious task of examining every in- 

 dividual spadeful more pleasant. Perhaps the most 

 valuable find was a beaver's jaw, though the remains of 

 domestic animals, and shells of oysters used for food, con- 

 tinually cropped up. A deposit of land and fresh-water 



