140 PLEASANT WA YS IN SCIENCE. 



Nubeculae as belonging neither to the sidereal nor to the 

 nebular systems, that they are not likely to recognize very 

 readily the existence of any such connection. Yet how 

 strangely perverse is the reasoning which has led astrono- 

 mers so to regard these amazing objects. Presented fairly, 

 that reasoning amounts simply to this : The Magellanic 

 clouds contain stars and they contain nebulae; therefore 

 they are neither nebular nor stellar. Can perversity of 

 reasoning be pushed further ? Is not the obvious conclusion 

 this, that since nebulae and stars are seen to be intermixed 

 in the Nubeculae, the nebular and stellar systems form in 

 reality but one complex system ? 



As to the existence of star-streams and clustering aggre- 

 gations, we have also evidence of a decisive character. 

 There is a well-marked stream of stars running from near 

 Capella towards Monoceros. Beyond this lies a long dark 

 rift altogether bare of lucid orbs, beyond which again lies an 

 extensive range of stars, covering Gemini, Cancer, and the 

 southern parts of Leo. This vast system of stars resembles 

 a gigantic sidereal billow flowing towards the Milky Way as 

 towards some mighty shore-line. Nor is this description 

 altogether fanciful ; since one of the most marked instances 

 of star-drift presently to be adduced refers to this very 

 region. These associated stars are urging their way towards 

 the galaxy, and that at a rate which, though seemingly slow 

 when viewed from beyond so enormous a gap as separates us 

 from this system, must in reality be estimated by millions of 

 miles in every year. 



Other streams and clustering aggregations there are 

 which need not here be specially described. But it is 

 worth noticing that all the well-marked streams recognized 

 by the ancients seem closely associated with the southern 

 rich region already referred to. This is true of the stars 

 forming the River Eridanus, the serpent Hydra, and the 

 streams from the water-can of Aquarius. It is also note- 

 worthy that in each instance a portion of the stream lies 

 outside the rich region, the rest within it; while all the 



