256 



NATURE 



[July 16, 1903 



Search-ephemeris for Comet 1896 V. (Giacobini). — A 

 further instalment of the ephemeris of this comet is pub- 

 lished in the Astronomische Nachrichten, No. 3881, by Herr 

 M. Ebell. 



The following is an extract from the ephemeris, which 

 takes June 22-5.1903 as the time of perihelion passage : — 

 Ephemeris \2h. (M.T. Berlin.) 

 1903 a 6 log f log A 



h. m. s. o / 



.. I 59 36 ... +17 33-9 ... 0-1697 •■ 0-1065 • 



.. 2 20 51 ... +18 i6-6 ... 0-1749 ••• 00970 . 

 .. 2 40 51 .. +18 41-6 ... 0-1814 ••• 0-0874 • 



+ 18 49-1 ... 0-1889 ■•• 0-0776 . 



+ 18 39-7 ... 0-1975 ••• 0-0676 . 



+ 18 14-0 ... 0-2068 ... 0*057 



July 16 



., 24 



Aug. I 



9 



M 17 



,, 25 



Sept. 2 , 

 ,, 10 



,. 2 59 22 

 .. 3 16 7 

 •• 3 30 50 

 • 3 43 15 



+ 17 33-2 ... 0-2168 ... 0-0468 



Bright- 

 ness. 

 • 2-55 

 . 2-60 

 . 2-64 

 . 2-67 

 2-69 

 . 2-70 



2-70 



3 53 10 ... +16 38-3 ... 0-2272 ... 0-0364 ... 270 



The continuation of this ephemeris indicates that, after 

 the last-mentioned date, the comet will slowly decrease in 

 brightness. 



The Limits of Unaided Vision. — Lick Observatory 

 Bulletin No. 38 gives an account of some interesting observ- 

 ations made by Mr. Heber D. Curtis, at Prof. Newcomb's 

 suggestion, on the inferior limit of magnitude obtainable 

 in naked-eye observations. 



A preliminary examination of previous naked-eye cata- 

 logues showed that the mean magnitude of the faintest stars 

 included in Ptolemy's Almagest was 5-38 on the scale of 

 the Harvard Photometric Durchmusterung, whilst Houzeau 

 in his " Uranom^trie Gdn6rale " stated that stars of the 

 sixth magnitude were constantly seen in a clear atmo- 

 sphere, and those of magnitude 67 could be seen at in- 

 tervals; the latter value corresponds to 640 on the Harvard 

 scale. Gould, in the introduction to the " Uranometria 

 Argentina," states that 6-5 was the average limit at 

 Cordoba, but on exceptionally clear nights the seventh 

 magnitude was possible. These two values are respectively 

 equivalent to 6- 16 and 671 on the Harvard scale. 



In his own observations Mr. Curtis used two large 

 blackened discs to screen off the diffused sky-light, these 

 two discs being attached to the 12-inch telescope at a 

 distance of 178 inches from each other, and the front one 

 pierced by "a circular hole half an inch in diameter, the rear 

 one by a quarter-inch hole. By this arrangement he was 

 able, on a night when a 6-53 magnitude star could be 

 seen without using the discs, to see the following stars in 

 the regions about T Virginis and T Ursae Majoris re- 



spectively : 

 Bonn DM 

 number 

 3219 



3459 



3463 

 1413 

 1415 



1457 



Declination Magnitude 



- 4 40 .. 



- 5 23 .. 

 - 5 37 .. 

 + 60 18 .. 

 + 60 13 .. 



7-31 HP^ 

 8-3 H- 



+ 59 30 ... 8-2 H 



Seen quite easily. 

 Seen with considerable 



difficulty. 

 Seen without difficulty. 

 Seen with difficulty. 

 Glimpsed at intervals ; 



very doubtful. 

 Seen. 



_ Mr. Curtis found that the screening off of the diffused 

 light was even of more importance than knowing exactly 

 where to look for the object. 



AN ETHNOGRAPHICAL EXPEDITION TO 

 BRITISH NEW GUINEA. 

 'pHERE are few areas of equal extent that present so 

 many interesting sociological and cultural problems 

 as British New Guinea. It is necessary these should be 

 studied on the spot, and that, too, with as little delay as 

 possible, for, even there, the remorseless activity of the 

 white man is rapidly making itself felt. 



We know there are various cultural provinces in British 

 New Guinea which, in certain respects, are markedly 

 distinct from each other ; for example, we recognise dis- 

 tricts that may, for the present, be conveniently distin- 

 guished by the geographical terms of Western, Fly River, 

 Papuan Gulf, Central, South-Eastern, and North Coast, and 

 some of these districts are capable of further subdivision. 

 In most cases it is possible to tell within comparatively 

 narrow limits the provenance of a decorated object by its 



1 HP = Harvard Photometric Durchmusterung. 



2 H = Hagen's " Atlas Stellarum Variabilium." 



NO. 1759, VOL. 68] 



form, technique, and the motive of its ornamentation. 

 Although these general facts are well known to ethno- 

 logical experts, there is still lacking an immense amount 

 of detailed information of even these relatively superficial 

 data that can be acquired only in the field. It is one thing 

 to know what an object is and where it comes from, but 

 it is much more important to understand the meaning of 

 its form and decoration, and arm-chair musings, or even 

 comparative study in museums, will be of little avail in 

 this inquiry ; on the contrary, they are liable to lead one 

 astray. 



It is becoming more and more recognised that the religion 

 of primitive peoples is manifested in their arts and crafts, 

 and that it is itself a reflex of their social condition. A 

 student begins by being interested in patterns, is led into 

 a study of comparative religion, and ends in sociology. 

 In British New Guinea these several subjects have a peculiar 

 interest. The decorative art is rich, varied, and distinc- 

 tive. Concerning the religion very little is known ; we 

 are aware that true totemism occurs in the west, and it 

 is probable that all stages, from animal reverence, through 

 a hero-cult to an actual hierarchy of gods can be traced 

 from the Netherlands boundary to the bight of the Papuan 

 Gulf. The recognition of personal powers superior to man 

 seems to be lacking in the Central District, and in the South- 

 east District totemism again appears, and there is, or has 

 been, a regard for the frigate bird, which in any case is 

 probably not now totemic, but of the significance of this 

 probable cult of the frigate bird we have at present not 

 a particle of evidence. As to sociology, we have indications 

 that British New Guinea possesses many varied and 

 interesting aspects, and there is every reason to suspect 

 a gradation in social structure will eventually be revealed 

 that will illustrate some important phases of social 

 evolution. 



These are but one or two of the many promising fields 

 of inquiry that British New Guinea affords to the ethno- 

 logist. At present we have but enough knowledge to 

 appreciate the fact that there are these unsolved problems 

 — the information being merely sufficient to emphasise our 

 ignorance. It was his appreciation of this fact that led 

 Major W. Cooke Daniels to organise an expedition to 

 British New Guinea which will leave this country in 

 August. 



Major W. Cooke Daniels served in the United States 

 Army during the Cuban campaign as Adjutant-General of 

 Division. He has travelled extensively in British Guiana 

 and elsevvhere, and has consequently had much experience 

 of travel and of organisation. He proposes to make observ- 

 ations in experimental psychology, and will undertake 

 ethnological investigations. Dr. C. G. Seligmann, of St. 

 Thomas's Hospital, was a member of the recent Cambridge 

 Anthropological Expedition to New Guinea and Sarawak, 

 and consequently has had considerable experience in 

 anthropological field work. As the representative of the 

 Cancer Commission on the expedition, he will investigate 

 the question of the prevalence and incidence of tumours, 

 especially those of a malignant type. He has care of the 

 health of the expedition, and will help in the ethnological 

 inquiries. 



Dr. W. Mersh Strong, of Trinity College, Cambridge, 

 wijl be responsible for the geographical and geological 

 observations, and will undertake pathological and medical 

 research as opportunity offers. 



Preparations have been made for the taking of a very 

 large number of photographs, including kinematograph 

 records ; this department is in charge of Mr. A. H. Dunning. 



Major Daniels is sending to Australia for the expedi- 

 tion's use a schooner yacht fitted with auxiliary power; a 

 sea-going launch is being taken out for river work. The 

 expedition is fitted with a large amount of scientific equip- 

 ment, so that all departments of anthropological research 

 can be prosecuted. The majority of the surveying instru- 

 ments have been lent by the council of the Royal Geo- 

 graphical Society. The Government Grant Committee has 

 shown its appreciation of the expedition by giving a small 

 grant, and the Royal Society has furthered its objects in 

 various ways. The expedition is also recognised by the 

 Cancer Commission. 



It will be seen that the Daniels Ethnographical Expedi- 

 tion to New Guinea is thoroughly equipped, and we wish 

 it the success it deserves. 



