July 31, 1890] 



NATURE 



2>^7 



should be. The methods of transliteration used in Germany 

 and France differ so much from one another, and both from the 

 English, that it seemed hardly possible, however desirable, to 

 get one system adopted for the three languages. 



In regard to Baron Osten- Sacken's other points, we regard 

 tch and sUh as inadvisable for 'i and ui respectively, as, without 

 the use of brackets, they would be mistaken for other sequences ; 

 and it was generally agreed that brackets should only be used 

 as a very last resource. Finally, cc for the rare and practically 

 -extinct V is as good a phonetic equivalent as anything else, and 

 more convenient than the already overburdened^. 



(3) We cordially agree with the main point in Mr. Chisholm's 

 argument (Nature, May i, p. 6), viz, that different systems 

 are required for different purposes. The phonetic method 

 adopted by the Geographical Society is unquestionably the best 

 suited for their maps, but is quite inadequate for bibliographic 

 use. We are glad to see that the system proposed for the latter 

 purpose has Mr. Chisholm's approval. 



(4) Mr. Groves (Nature, May i, p. 6) quotes a case that 

 strikes him as very cumbrous ; but we fail to see that the altera- 

 tion to SKRJIPSKV is a sufficient improvement to be worth 

 the inconveniences that the changes would involve in other 

 cases. Under no system could a page of transliterated Russian 

 hope to read like Addisonian English. 



We do not see that, in the cases we quoted in our reply to 

 Mr. Groves's former letter, we really misunderstood him. We 

 •do not know whence or how the three Gazetteers derived 

 their renderings of Nizhnil ; we only quoted them to show how 

 many different spellings were current, and that the word, as 

 transliterated by the new system, is neither unintelligible nor 

 materially different from forms already in use. In the cases to 

 which we attached most weight, viz. the titles of journals 

 ■quoted from Scudder, Bolton, and the Geological Record 

 the transliterations were certainly derived direct from the 

 Russian, and we thought it probable that the Chemical 

 Society's Journal would also have quoted the papers from the 

 original rather than from second-hand German sources. 



In conclusion, it is advisable again to repeat that the system 

 was proposed solely for bibliographic use in the English language : 

 the bibliographers who laid down the requirements of the system 

 insisted that it should be based on two principles and should 

 satisfy four rules. Had these been published in the original 

 note, some subsequent criticisms would probably not have been 

 made. Considering that the criticisms that really apply to this 

 non-phonetic, unassthetic system do not require any changes to 

 be made in it, we hope that it will be adopted by other journals 

 and catalogues. A supplementary list of those that do so will 

 be published in the fuller account and explanation of the system 

 that will be issued shortly. H. A. Miers. 



J. W. Gregory, 



Discovery of a New Comet. 



While sweeping the northern sky at iih. 35m. on the night 

 of July 23, with a lo-inch reflector, power 40, I found a 

 nebulous object near and C Ursae Minoris, which I could not 

 identify. It was faint, round, about i' in diameter, and with a 

 very slight central condensation, I noted its position relatively 

 to the stars near, but clouds then came over and prevented 

 further observations for nearly an hour. On reobserving the 

 object I found it 10 be a comet, a considerable displacement 

 having occurred in its position. 



On July 24 I obtained another view of it, and found its 

 diurnal motion to be about 55' to the south. At iih. the 

 comet was close to a star of about the ninth magnitude. At lih. 

 40m. the comet was centrally projected upon the star, and the 

 latter appeared to be involved in an extensive atmosphere. At 

 about I2h. 30m. the comet reappeared on the other side of the 

 star. I could not resist the impression that the star was 

 decidedly fainter when the comet was passing over it. 



The rough estimated positions of the comet were :— 



On July 25 and 26 the sky was cloudy and the comet not 

 seen. It will be invisible during moonlight, but on about 

 August 5 or 6 it ought to be picked up before moonrise in the 

 region between 7 Ursae Minoris and i Draconis, or at about 

 226° + 66°. 



NO. 1083, VOL. 42] 



It IS probable that this comet is approaching its perihelion 

 and becommg brighter, in which case it may be readily seer, 

 when the sky is clear and free from moonlight. 



Bristol, July 27. w. F. Denning, 



F.b.— The comet was observed at Nice on July 25, loh., 

 when its R.A. was I5h. 14m. (228^°), Decl. 76° 37' N, 



The Rotation of Mercury. 



In the February number oi Hiinmel und Erde, and elsewhere, 

 I have seen "that the otherwise meritorious, but in his obser- 

 vations and their discussion not always cautious and strict 

 Schroeter," took the rotation period of Mercury to be twenty- 

 four hours, but that Schiaparelli has now found that Mercury 

 behaves to the sun as the moon to the earth, always showing 

 the same side. The reporter also explained, by way of com- 

 pliment to Prof G. Darwin, why the planet next to the sun 

 should differ in this respect from its companions. 



As all astronomers like fair play, I went through Schroeter's 

 papers, and read Schiaparelli's letter, No. 2944, Astronomische 

 Nachrichten, which shows the usual industry, lucidity of style, 

 and good faith of the Professor. 



Schroeter and his companion Harding found the southern 

 hemisphere of the planet rounded {rtindlich) like the northern, 

 but believed that they saw every twenty-four hours a certain change 

 of form of the southern end of the lighted crescent, not perceptible 

 in the northern. This was the leading observation, of which 

 Schiaparelli remarks: "Of all facts known with regard to 

 Mercury's rotation, this reappearance about every twenty-four 

 hours of a truncation of the southern horn is the most manifest 

 and anciently known" ("un apparente troncatura del como 

 australe e il piu manifesto e anticamente cognosciuto "). 



Schroeter and Harding had for some time tried in vain to 

 trace on the face of the planet some spot confirming their con- 

 clusion, when one day Harding first and Schroeter afterwards 

 perceived a dark streak appearing in the east and moving west 

 over the face of the planet. Both observed the phenomenon, 

 with varying distinctness and under different combinations, 

 during inany days, and held that it confirmed their original 

 hypothesis. Schroeter found that considerable increase of the 

 magnifying power of his instrument lessened the distinctness of 

 the shading. 



Schiaparelli commenced his investigation because he con- 

 sidered Schroeter's result doubtful, and had instruments far 

 superior to those used ninety years ago. 



He has observed Mercury since 188 1 more than 500 times, 

 and has made on the most favourable days about 150 drawings, 

 "to say the truth of very unequal value, but nevertheless so fat- 

 agreeing as to furnish a result." That is, drawings on which 

 the admittedly indistinct and varying feeble shadings united into 

 one dissolving view did not always appear to be the same. The 

 author also tells us that he made "one of his best observations 

 when the planet was only at 3° 2' from the limb of the sun," 

 and "the disk of the planet then appeared perfectly round and 

 uniformly bright ;" and finally confesses, "Of these forms and 

 streaks I have endeavoured to give an idea on the annexed 

 drawing without concealing from myself the futility of such an 

 attempt." 



The Professor first made use of his "eight-inch instrument," 

 then of "the eighteen," which showed the shading less dis- 

 tinctly, so as to make him write, " I have the impression that 

 if one looked with a still stronger instrument all would appear 

 dissolved in still more minute formations." 



He lastly formulates three hypotheses : (i) the period is 24 

 hours ; (2) the period divides the 24 hours without remainders ; 

 (3) there is no rotation properly speaking. He adopts No. 3, 

 and concludes that the different appearances are caused by the 

 great libration consequent upon the large eccentricity of its orbit. 

 Should there be no farther hypotheses possible, when the 

 results of research are so conflicting, indistinct, and variable ? 



R. 



Birds and Flowers. 



In reference to Mr, Wallace's letter (p. 295) with regard to a 

 note in Nature (July 17, p. 279), I correctly quoted Mr, Scott- 

 Elliot's remark, who says : — 



" I am led to entirely disagree with Mr. Wallace's opinion 

 that the colour of flower-seeking birds is quite unconnected with 

 their habits. As a matter of fact a peculiar shade of red found 



