August 15, 1895] 



NATURE 



il'i 



obsened belong to the categorj' of those apparent changes of 

 diurnal period which may be explained by the varying state of 

 rest aiul purity ot the atmosphere and the different grades 

 of illumination of the background of the sky. I have sought 

 with particular care for an indication of any change of place of 

 the most pronounced markings, with reference to the horns and 

 with reference to the terminator ; but I have not been able to 

 make out anything with certainty which would indicate a more 

 rajiid rotation." This letter is accompanied by a sketch showing 

 a marking diverging from the north pole, and another and more 

 decided one proceeding from the terminator near the south pole 

 in an easterly direction, and then curving round towards the 

 north in the direction of a meridian. This marking underwent 

 some slight change between July 5 and 7, the marking along the 

 meridian only appearing on the latter date. In conclusion, 

 Schiaparelli observes that the period of 2247 days ajijicars to be 

 placed beyond all reasonable doubt. The second letter, written 

 after the publication of Brenner's observations, contains a 

 detailed description of Brenner's great marking, which is 

 identical with the marking just described, and also with 

 that observed in December 1S77. Schiaparelli remarks that the 

 view, advanced by him in " Considerazioni sul moto rotatorio 

 del Pianete Venere," that the markings, though in reality 

 atmospheric phenomena, depend to a certain extent upon the 

 topographical conditions underneath, and recur under the same 

 conditions, appears to be confirmed. 



The Observatory of Vale University. — The report 

 of Dr. W. L. Elkin on the work done and in hand at the 

 Observatory of \'ale University, has been received. From the 

 report we learn that the series of heliometer mea.sures on the 

 parallaxes of the first magnitude stars has been brought to a 

 close, and the definitive results will be presented in the near 

 future. The series on the parallaxes of the larger proper 

 motion stars, on which Dr. Chase has been mainly engaged, 

 now comprises 99 stars, all but two of which have been observed 

 at two parallax maximum epochs, in general on three nights. 

 Before drawing any conclusions from these data, it is proposed 

 to secure two further ejjochs for each star, in order to eliminate 

 the effect of the proper motion. An arrangement has been made 

 with Dr. Gill that the observations and discussion of the Iris 

 series for the determination of the solar parallax should be 

 printed and included with his similar investigations on Viitoria 

 and Sappho. For the photography of meteor trails, an equatorial 

 mounting, to carry a number of cameras, has been constructed 

 and set up. The mounting carries four cameras, two with 

 lenses of about 6 inches, and two with lenses of about 5 inches 

 effective aperture. Some valuable results will, undoubtedly, be 

 obtained from the photographic data accumulated by instruments 

 of this kind. Already the Vale Observatory is in possession of 

 somet.velve impressions of Perseid trails, four of which were 

 secured there and two at .-^nsonia by Mr. John E. Lewis, work- 

 ing in collaboration with Dr. Elkin. Prof. Barnard has sent 

 three plates exposed also on August 9, 10, and II,"l894, for 

 about 8 hours in all, which show four and possibly five meteor 

 trails. And Prof. Pickering has found on an examination of the 

 Harvard Observatory plates one fine trail on a i)late taken 

 August 8, 1893. and sent it to \'ale for measurement. Dr. 

 Elkin has carried out a discussion of these trails, which will be 

 very shortly ready for publication, and seems to lead to some 

 interesting conclusions. 



TiiK Nebi'i.a N.G.C. 2438.— The first of a new series of 

 celestial photographs, taken liy Dr. Isaac Roberts, appears in the 

 current number of Knon'kdge. It is a photograph of a portion 

 of ihe constellation Argo, and shows the beautiful cluster M 46, 

 and the involved nebula N.G.C. 243S. The nebula is a very 

 small one, and was clas.sed as a planetary nebula by Sir John 

 Ilerschel ; Lor<l Rosse, however, on some occasions, observed it 

 .as an annular nebula with two stars and a suspected third one 

 enclosed ; Lassell described it as a planetary nebula w ilh two stars 

 involved. The photograph, which was exposed for 90 minutes 

 in the 20-inch reflector, shows the nebula to be as perfectly of 

 the annular type as that in Lyra. It is circular in form, w ith 

 three stars in the interior, the ring being most condensed on the 

 north following side. The brightest .star is near the centre, and 

 is estimated at from 13th to 14th magnitude ; on the south pre- 

 ceding side is a .star of about l6th magnitude, and a still fainter 

 one almost touches the ring on the south preceding .side. There 

 arc indications of faint luminosity in the interior of the ring. 



The cluster depicted in the s:ime photograph is a " magni- 

 ficent aggregation of stars between the 9th and l6lh magnitude." 



NO. 1346, VOL. 52] 



THE VOYAGE OF THE ''ANTARCTIC" TO 

 . VICTORIA LAND> 



ALLOW me first to explain that my scientific observations 

 were made under the disadvantageous circumstances of a 

 sailor before the mast on board the whaler Aiilardic. There 

 seemed no choice between adopting this course and remaining 

 on shore, and I was consequently able to take very few instru- 

 ments. This explanation may to some extent lighten the criticism 

 of my results. 



We left .Melbourne on September 20, 1894. It was originally 

 our intention to spend a few weeks in search of spenn whales off 

 the south-west of Tasmania ; but not meeting with any, we 

 steered for Royal Company Islands. On October 18 we had snow- 

 on board for the first time. It came in heavy squalls, bringing 

 a large specimen of the Dionteda cxulans albatross on board for 

 refuge. At night it was moonlight, and at twelve o'clock the 

 Aurora Australis was visible for the first time, w ith white shining 

 clouds, rolling from west to east, at an altitude above the 

 southern horizon of thirty-five degrees. The Antarctic was at 

 the time in the vicinity of Macquarie Island, in latitude about 

 50' south. The aurora seemed to be constantly reinforced from the 

 west, the intensity of the light culminating every five minutes, 

 dying out suddenly, and regaining its former brilliancy during 

 the succeeding five minutes. The phenomenon lasted until two- 

 o'clock, when it was gradually lost in an increasing mist. As 

 the snow was heavy, and there was little probability of any 

 material benefit from landing, we set out for Campbell Island on 

 the 22nd, and dropped anchor in North Harbour on the eve of 

 October 25, drifting the following day down to Perseverance 

 Bay, a much safer harbour, where we filled our water-tanks and 

 made final preparations before proceeding south. Campbell 

 Island shows from a great distance its volcanic origin and 

 character, undulating ridges rising in numberless conical peaks, 

 to from 300 to 2000 feet above sea level. The land around the 

 bay is rich in vegetation, and most of the island is covered with 

 grass, on which a few sheep seem to live in luxur)-. Numerous 

 I fur seals were ba.sking on the rocks, and we also found many 

 sea-leopards {Stenorhync litis tcptonyx). They seemed to thrive 

 I well, their skins being without scar or cut, and, except human 

 beings, they appear to have no enemies in these waters. 



While duck-shooting on the Campbell, I came on three 

 graceful waders of the snipe type (Noi\e Zealandiic). In the 

 interior of the island grass was everywhere to be seen except 

 where stunted brushwood covered the ground. I have no 

 doubt that some of the hardy species of ScandinaWan trees 

 I would do well on this island. 



I We weighed anchor on October 31. During the next few 

 I days, proceeding further into the fifties, the air and water 

 remained at an equal temperature of 44' F. A large number 

 of crested penguins were seen jumping about like small por- 

 poises. We met with several icebergs from too feet to 150 feet 

 in height. These bergs were solid masses of floating ice, with 

 perpendicular walls and an unbroken plateau on the top. 



C3n the 6th of the following month, in lat. 58^ 14' and 

 long. 162" 35', we sighted an immense barrier of ice, or chain 

 of icebergs, extending for about forty to sixty miles from east 

 to north-west, in fact as far as the eye could reach, the top 

 being quite level and absolutely white, and the greatest height 

 600 feet. The perpendicular sides were dark ashy grey, with 

 large worn green caves. Several icebergs, similar to those we 

 had encountered before, were floating in all directions, and were 

 undoubtedly children of this enormous monster. 



By the time we had reached 55' the albatross had left us, as 

 likewise the Cape pigeon {Daption capcnsis) ; but the white- 

 bellied storm petrel still followed in our track. A lestris, with 

 dark brown head and white bordered w ings, and a small blue 

 petrel put in an appearance. On December 7 we sighted the edge 

 of the pack ice and shot our first seal, which was of the white 

 kind {Steiiorhyiii litis carcinopliaga), its skin being injured by 

 several deep scratches. We had also a very heavy snowfall, the 

 vessel being covered on deck and rigging for the first time. 



On December S, in lat. 68° 45', long. 171' 30', large streams 

 of ice drifting around us, a strong ice blink appearing towards 

 the south, and the presence of the elegant white petrel (Procc/- 

 lari Nii'ca) gave us unmistakable evidence that we had now 

 before us those vast ice-fields into which Sir James Ross success- 

 fully entered with his famous ships Erebus and Terror, on 

 Januaiy 5, 1841. In the evening we slowly worked our \yay in 



t Abstract 'of a paper read by Mr. C. E. Borchgrcvink nt the Sixth 

 International Geographical Congress on August 1 



