542 



NA TURE 



[April 4, 1895 



of plants. The whole volume makes a comprehensive text- 

 book of botany possessing many excellent features, and of the 

 usefulness of which there can be no question. It is a pity that 

 so very many literal errors should have been overlooked while 

 the work was passing through the press. The page of errata 

 which precedes the contents is not the sort of thing one looks 

 for in a new book. 



The first BulUlin of the Bohemian Academy of Sciences, 

 founded in 1890 by the Emperor of Austria, has just been 

 issued. It contains no less than twenty-three separate memoirs 

 many of which are beautifully illustrated with coloured and other 

 plates, amongst which we may specially mention the twelve 

 successfully-executed photographs illustrating some bio chemical 

 studies by MM. Kruis and Rayman. There are French, German 

 and Italian communications, so that the BulUtiii may with 

 justice be called "International." Science is very variously 

 represented, and we find contributions in the departments of 

 mathematics, biology, chemistry, geology, physics, physiology, 

 and bacteriology. The committee of publication is to be con- 

 gratulated, not only on the high standard of the original work 

 here brought together, but also on the successful manner in 

 which they have produced this journal. In addition to the 

 plates, the printing and paper are both excellent. 



The Report of the Council of the Scottish Meteorological 

 Society, on March 27, shows that the work of the Society is 

 extending. K new station his been established in connection 

 with the Society at Kingussie, Inverness-shire, the instruments 

 for which were supplied chiefly by Mr. John Anderson. The 

 station is under the management of Dr. De Wattville, who 

 commenced the observations on January i. The work at the 

 two I'en Nevis observalorie;, made both with the eye and 

 ■ontinuously recording instruments, has been carried on with 

 ihe same zeal and success as in previous years. Much work 

 has been done in the offices in Edinburgh and Fort-William in 

 recopying, on daily sheets, the hourly observations of the two 

 observatories, in connection with an examination of a compari- 

 son of Ihe two sets of observations in their bearings on the 

 storms and weather of North-Western Europe. Thisexamini- 

 tion has been recently commenced by Dr. Buchan. The subject 

 is divided into these several parts — cyclones ; anti-cyclones; small 

 differences of temperature between top and bottom, including 

 Inversions of temperature ; very large difierences of tem- 

 peratuic ; grea'. dryness of air at the top ; marked differences of 

 wind at top and bottom, both as regards direction and force ; 

 relations to reported storms at the lighthouses ; conditions 

 under which very diverse readings of the two barometers occur. 

 In each of these cases the weather charts of Europe at the time 

 are thoroughly examined from variou; points of view. Several 

 of the points examined have already been investigated to some 

 extent ; but what is now attempted to be done is an inquiry into 

 their relations to each other. The importance of the inquiry 

 consists in the fact that the high-level station dealt with is 

 situated right in the general path of the cyclones of North- 

 western Europe, whereas the other high level stations of 

 Europe that have been used in similar investigations are 

 altogether outside that path. Dr. Buchan has a stupendous 

 piece of work under way, and we trust that it may soon be 

 brought to a successful termination. 



Thk additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Vervct Monkey (Ccrcopitliecu! In'.aiidii, 9 ) 

 from South Africa, presented by Mr. H. W. Weguelin ; a 

 Rhesus Monkey {Afataciis rhesus, J ) from India, presented 

 by Mr. W. II. Ilayner ; a ParJinc Genet (Genella pardina) 

 from West Africa, presented by Mr. George Danes ; a Palm 

 Squirrel {Sciurus falmaium) from India, presented by 

 Mri. Henry Jones; a Short-tailed Wallaby {/falmaliiriis 

 NO. 1327, VOL. 51] 



hrcuhyurtis, 9 ) from (^>ueensland, presented by Mrs. L. 

 Thompson ; a Vulpine Phalanger {I'halangista vulpina, 9 ) 

 from Australia, presented by Master John Simonds ; a Bronze- 

 winged Pigeon (Phafs chakopltra, i) from Australia, pre- 

 sented by Lady Buchan Hepburn ; a Grey-brea-ted Parrakeet 

 (Bolborhymhiis monaclius) from Monte Video, presented by 

 Mr. Rowland Ward ; an Egyptian Jerboa (Dipus a^pfins) 

 from North Africa, an Oak Dormouse {.Vyoxus Jryas), South 

 European, presented by Dr. G. L. Johnson ; a Cape Viper 

 (Causus rhombeatits) from South .\frica, presented by Mr. J. 

 E. Matcham ; a Hoolock Gibbon (Hylobates hoohck, i ) from 

 Assam, two Gazelles (Gazella dorcas, f, 9) from Nubia, an 

 Oak Dormouse (Myoxtis dryas). South European, deposited ; 

 a Brazilian Three-banded Armadillo (7'i>/)'/rt</« tricincliis, i\ 

 from Brazil, a Variegated Bittern (Ardella itndiicris), a White- 

 spotted Rail {Kallus macnlatus), a Sooty Rail {Raltiis 

 rythyrhynchus), a Rosy-billed Duck {Mdopiana peposaca), 

 four Burrowing Owls (Speotylo (utiicularia) from South 

 America, purchased. 



OUi< ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



Comet e 1S94 (Swiir). — The general resemblance of the 

 orbit of this comet to that of De Vico's, 1S44 I, was noticed 

 very soon after its first appearance (Nature, vol. li pp. 132, 

 160). Mr. Barnard was, fortunately, able to determine the 

 place of the comet on five nights at the end of January, when 

 it was "most excessively faint and ditVicult, about 10" to 15" 

 in diameter,'' as seen with the 36-inch refractor. These ob- 

 servations have enabled Dr. Chandler to revise the elements of 

 the orbit, and to undertake a discussion of the possible identity 

 with the comet of 1844 (Aslronomifa! youinal, No. 338). 

 Dr. Chandler points out that in view of the numerous close 

 family resemblances among the periodic comets, we can dis- 

 tinguish between similarity or identity in the present case only 

 by actual calculation of the principal planetary perturbations. 

 He has accordingly calculated the perturbations, and he finds 

 that " both in direction and approximate amount these changes 

 are uniformly of the character required to lec )ncile the differ- 

 ences between the observed orbits of the comets 1844 1 and 

 e 1894." Some of the results are shown in the following table, 

 the elements for the 1S44 comet being those of Brunnow : — 



<■ 'S94 



1844 I - — ^ 



Before perturb. Observed. 



Longitude of perihelion 

 ,,_ ,, node ... 



Inclinatiun 



Eccentricity 



Perioil 



278 486 . 

 64 ao 



2 549 • 



o'6i765 ., 



5'4C)6 yc.irs . 



383 7-5 . 

 60 24 



s 53 ' • 



0*60283 . 



5 6 1 5 ycirs . 



296 34-1 

 48 407 



3 57 '9 

 0-5719 

 5 "863 years. 



Dr. Chandler considers this to be " sufficiently demonstrative 

 of the high probability of identity to justify a more refined 

 calculation at a proper future time." As to future observations 

 of the comet, he is not very hopeful. " The present perihelion 

 distance will probably be changed by Jupiter in 1S97 to one 

 considerably beyond the orbit ol Mars, so that unless a favour- 

 able reversion of the change of brilliancy which apparently 

 took place between 1844 and 1S94 should occur, it will in all 

 likelihood hereafter be invisible ; at least until, at some future 

 approach to the critical point of disturbance near longitude 

 165", simultaneously with Jupiter, it shall be thrown into a path 

 in which, near perihelion, it will be again in reach of our 

 telescopes." 



A Possible New Satellite of Neptune.— In the course 

 of a series of micrometric measures of the satellites of Uranus 

 and Neptune, Prof. Schaeberle observed a suspicious object 

 near to Neptune on September 24, 1S92, when the seeing was 

 exceptionally fine {Aslioiiomical yoiirnal. No. 340). The star 

 or satellite was so faint that it was near the limit of vision of 

 the 36inch refractor of the l.ick Observatory. During an hour 

 and forty minutes, the total change of position angle w.as 2" 

 greater than could be accounted fur by the geocentric motion of 

 the planet with reference to a fixed star, and this strengthens 

 the idea that the object observed may have been a second 

 .satellite. At the time of observation the distance from the 



