BY JOHN TEBBUTT, JUX. 127 



find the following table for the number of variable stars dis- 

 covered in each period : 



Number 

 Periods . discovered . 



18111800 2 



18211811 



18311821 4 



18411831 4 



18511841 18 



18611851 31 



Total 59 



It will be observed from the above statement, that within the 

 last twenty, and especially within the last ten years, the zeal of 

 Astronomers in this department of research has been rapidly 

 increasing. Observations of variable stars furnish employment 

 for some of the most distinguished Astronomers of Europe, and 

 as a consequence, we frequently find communications with 

 reference to such objects in the pages of that valuable scientific 

 journal, the Astronomische Naclirichten. Now, considering the 

 additions to our knowledge in this department of Astronomy 

 which have been made during the past twenty years, and are con- 

 stantly being made by Northern observers ; and, also, taking into 

 account the fact that so few stars of high south declination are 

 to be found in the catalogue, the question might well be asked, 

 how is it that so little has been done for the cause in this hemis- 

 phere ? Surely we are not to suppose that our Southern heavens 

 do not furni&h as fertile a field for such discoveries as the 

 Northern Hemisphere does. This scarcity of results does not pro- 

 ceed from any peculiar barrenness of the Southern heavens, but 

 rather from the great want of Southern observers. On an ex- 

 amination of the above npntioned catalogue, it will be seen that 

 out of the 99 stars that it contains, 25 only are situated in the 

 Southern Hemisphere, and of these only two are south of the 

 23rd parallel of declination, namely : Eta (77) Argus, and Kappa 

 (/c) Corona Australis. I may, however, remark that the star B. 

 A. C. 5656, not contained in that catalogue, is variable, on the 

 authority of the British Association Catalogue. Of Eta (77) Argus 

 I shall speak presently, suffice it just now to say that it is one of 



