168 Star anfr Meatber Gossip 



the Plough, under the name of Charles's Wain. And, 

 of course, as Mr. Metcalfe shows, the Plough would be 

 much more easily recognised than the Pleiades, as the 

 former is visible throughout the year, whereas the 

 latter are, approximately, to be seen only during the 

 autumn and winter months. 



" For we that take purses go by the moon and the 

 seven stars." In other words, these celestial bodies 

 gave the purse -snatchers roughly the time o' night, a 

 purpose to which the seven stars of the Plough, in 

 particular, would be well adapted. 



MAY'S NIGHT-SKIES 



The night-skies of May have a beauty quite their 

 own. It is a beauty not so much of stellar voluptuous- 

 ness as of a sweet and soothing serenity that adds zest 

 to one's joie de vivre, and engenders the highest appre- 

 ciation of the inestimable blessing of a deep-rooted 

 love of Nature. 



On no other nights of the year do the stars seem to 

 shine so placidly or the sky to put on that rich indigo 

 colour which makes so exquisite a background for its 

 gleaming points of silver. 



The winter stars Sirius above all with their 

 turbulent scintillation, would disharmonise with these 

 night-skies of May. Orion has gone, and so have the 

 Pleiades and the Hyades. The only familiar groups 

 that remain are Gemini and Auriga. The Gemini 

 stars form a large parallelogram, which during the 

 winter months is usually seen on its side. With the 

 advent of May, however, it is almost on end as it 

 nears the west horizon. It was thus that I saw it, 



