14. 



KNOWLEDGE 



[Januaey 1, 1898. 



intrinsic brightnesa of their surface. The mode of distribu- 

 tion of the stars is not the same in different regions of the 

 stellar layer, but the distribution of the great stars is not 

 independent of that of the small ones. The stars of the 

 spectral type — named " solar type "—are condensed about 

 a point which, in comparison with the extent of the whole 

 system, is not very far removed from the sun/' 



Proctor looked upon the Milky Way as " the condensed 

 part of a spiral of simill stars " amidst the sidereal system. 

 This theory is incompatible with the results recently 

 obtained, in particular with those of Kapteyn and of my 

 own concerning the distribution of stars of differing 

 magnitudes in some parts of the Milky Way (see Know- 

 ledge, August, 1895). In the galactic belt the large and 

 small stars are moat certainly intermingled. 



But modern researches have not yet touched upon a new 

 theory of the Milky Way — a theory which can at least 

 explain, as Proctor wished to do, the bolder and more 

 striking features of the Milky Way. Giovanni Celoria 

 alone, at the Observatory of Brera in Milan, has ventured 

 as far as could be at his time (187H). From his pains- 

 taking and most interesting researches! he did not evolve 

 a complete theory, but the comparison of his star-counts 

 with the gauges of William Herschel and the " Bonn 

 Durchmusterung" led Celoria to conclude that the "MOky 

 Way ia composed of two branches, two distinct rings, of 

 uninterrupted circumference. One of these rings is re- 

 presented by the continuous feature of the ]Milky Way, 

 crossing the sky in Monoceros, Auriga, Sagitta, and Aquila ; 

 the other begins in the brilliant stars of Orion, passes 

 through the Hyades, the Pleiades, Perseus, Cygnus, and 

 ends in Ophiuchus. The two rings cross each other, 

 and are perhaps confounded in one system in the constel- 

 lation of Cassiopeia ; and separating, one part passing 

 through Cygnus and the other through Perseus, they 

 make an angle of about nineteen degrees." 



I do not need to say that the second ring of Celoria, 

 crossing Orion and Ophiuchus, is identical with the belt 

 of bright stars of Sir John Herschel and of Gould ; but, 

 in the course of his research, Celoria found that there 

 existed in this region a veritable galactic branch, with 

 many stars relatively brilliant although telescopic, and 

 few stars of the inferior order of brightness — at least in 

 the sections studied by the Italian astronomer. 



Although there is doubtless much truth in the conclu- 

 sions drawn from this great work, it is impossible, in the 

 actual state of our knowledge of the composition of the 

 Milky Way, to accept the " due anelli distinti, ue mai 

 iuterrotti nel loro corso " of Celoria. Even if the two rings 

 are tenable, it must be recognized that there are lacunas, 

 interruptions, and, in a word, manifest compUcationa. 



If one would rest on the solid ground of fact, one cannot 

 go beyond this conclusion — at least as regards the great 

 problem of the structure of the heavens ; great irregulari- 

 ties of detail, traces of at least partial regularity in the 

 principal features. But I hope in another paper to venture 

 a little further in this tempting region, without, however, 

 quitting a firm hold of observed facts. 



* For furtlier particulars, see among others— G-ould, Vranometria 

 Argentina, 1879; Scbiaparelli, Piibbl. del R. Osservatorio di Brera, 

 XXXIV. ; Celoria. idein. XIII. ; Plassmann, Jahre.ilericht d. 

 Westfahlia, Pr. Vereinx, 1886; Eistenpart, Ber. Sternw. in Karlsruhe. 

 1892 ; Kapteyn, Versl. Aiademie v. Wet. Amsterdam, 1892 and 1893 ; 

 Gore, " Visible Universe," ete. ; Ranvard, Knowibdoe, June, Nor- 

 ember, 1894; Maunder, Knowledge, February, November, 1895, 

 February, 189G; Easton. Aslron. Xachr.. 3270. Compare aUo 

 Knowledge, October, December, 1891; May, 1892; April, 1893; 

 October, 189-1; January, August, 1895. 



t Giovanni Celoria. " Sopra alcuni scandagei del eielo et sulla 

 distribuziohe geuerale delle stelle nello spazio." Pubhl del S 

 Osserr. di Brera, XIII.,Milano, 1878. 



BRim-tt 



'^ 



ORNITHOLOGICAC*^ .=^ 



Conducted by Habbt F. Witheeby, f.z.s., m.b.o.u. 



A New British Guij:*. — The Mediterranean Herring 

 Gull (Larus rafhinnans ), — The past autumn has been 

 exceedingly unproductive of the rare migranta which 

 usually viait the east coast ; it is therefore especially 

 gratifying to be able to rescue from oblivion a rare bird 

 which has been unrecorded since the month of Novem- 

 ber, 1880. Mr. Cole, the well-known bird preserver, of 

 Norwich, recently called my attention to a Gull which was 

 shot on Breydon Water, near Yarmouth, on the above 

 date, by the noted gunner -John Thomas, and sent to him. 

 The late Mr. Henry Stevenson examined it in the flesh 

 and stated his opinion that it waa an example of 

 the Mediterranean Yellow-legged Herring Gull (Larus 

 ciu-hinnans) ; but, somehow, it passed out of notice till Mr. 

 Cole called my attention to it recently, when a careful 

 examination of the bird convinced me that Mr. Stevenson's 

 opinion was correct. This has since been confirmed by Mr. 

 Howard Saunders. The bird is a male by dissection, and 

 differs from the common Herring Gull in having the mantle 

 darker, the base ring round the eye deep orange-red, and 

 the legs lemon-yeUow. The resemblance to the common 

 Herring GuU is, however, so great that it might easily be 

 overlooked. The month of November aeems to be a very 

 unlikely one for the occurrence of this southern species on 

 our coast, but I find that the weather at that time was 

 exceptionally mild and pleasant. It is also remarkable 

 that in the following month another Mediterranean species, 

 Larus melnnorephalus, was killed in the same locality. — 

 Thomas Southwell, Norwich. 



Ferki'Gi.nots Duck [FuJifjula nyroca) ix West Meath. — 

 Mrs. Battersby, of Cromlyn, informs me that a bird of 

 this species was shot by Colonel J. K. Malone, at Barons- 

 town, Bahnacarghy, West Meath, on January 17th, 1897. 

 The bird was stuffed by Mr. E. WiUiams, Dame Street, 

 Dublin, who informs me that it was a mature female. 

 Thia apecimen does not seem to have been recorded before, 

 and, as the species haa only been identified four or five 

 times in Ireland, the occurrence is worthy of record, 

 although the bird was shot a year ago. — H. F. W. 



A Norfolk Great Bustard. — Through the kindness of 

 Prof. Newton I was enabled a few months ago to purchase 

 a remarkably fine male example of the old local race of 

 this magnificent bird. The result of my inquiries amply 

 established its history, which is briefly as follows : — The 

 bird was shot on Swaffham Heath about the year 1830 by 

 a gentleman named Glasae, who then reaided at "\'ere 

 Lodge, Eaynham, near Fakenham, Norfolk. It remained 

 in his possession and in that of his daughter until, on 

 the death of the latter at Bournemouth, early in the 

 present year, it was sold by auction with the rest of her 

 effects, and ia now in the collection of Mr. Connop, of 

 Kollesby Hall, Great Yarmouth. This superb old male 



