136 



JVA TURE 



[June 6, 1901 



work will lead to more quantitative studies of the catalytic 

 action of the enzymes proper, the importance of which in both 

 animal and plant physiology is becoming every day more 

 manifest. 



Some of the papers published in the reports and other 

 volumes of the Smithsonian Institution are printed separately 

 for sale or exchange. A classified list of the papers at present 

 available has been issued, and students of all branches of science 

 will find in it many publications of value. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Rhesus Monkey {Macacus rhesus, 9 ) from 

 India, presented by Mrs. W. W. Baker ; a Red-flanked Duiker 

 (CepJialophus ritfilatus, i ) from West Africa, presented by Mr. 

 Th. Leportier ; two Crested Curassows (Cra.x alcctor) from 

 Guiana, presented by Mr. Robert Thorn ; two Vulturine Eagles 

 {Aqiiila verremt.xi) from the Gwatyn District, Cape Colony, 

 presented by Mrs. Joplin ; a Derbian Zonure {Zomtrtis giganteiis) 

 from South Africa, presented by Mr. W. Champion ; a Blue 

 and Yellow Macaw {Ara ai-aratina), ^ Brazilian Tortoise 

 {Tcstudo tahulata) from South America, a Red-masked Conure 

 (Comiriis nibrolarvahis) from Ecuador, a Starred Tortoise 

 (Testtido elegans) from India, two American Glass Snakes 

 (Ophiosaurits ventralis) from Mexico, seven Stink-pot Mud 

 Terrapins (Cinosterniim odoratum), twelve Pennsylvanian Mud 

 Terrapins {Cinosterniim pennsylvanicum) from North America, 

 deposited ; three Mandarin Ducks {Aix galericidata) from China, 

 purchased ; a Thar {Hcmitragiis jemlaica, 3 ), a White Stork 

 ( Ciconia alba), bred in the Gardens. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



The Recent Total Eclipse of the Sun. — From the 

 Coinptes rendtts we learn that a French expedition under M. 

 Binot made successful observations at the island of Reunion, 

 near Mauritius, so that very valuable comparisons may be hoped 

 for between these and the photographs obtained at the Royal 

 Alfred Observatory further east. 



A telegram from Pulkowa states that during the eclipse at 

 Padang, six photographs were obtained through cirrus clouds, 

 the form of the corona corresponding to that of minimum solar 

 activity. 



Snow on the Moon's Surface. — Several accounts have 

 appeared in the daily Press stating that observers from the 

 Harvard College Observatory working in Jamaica have 

 obtained photographs of the moon which afford evidence of the 

 existence of some variable substance, probably snow, on many 

 of the mountain peaks. The astronomer, presumably Prof. 

 W. H. Pickering, has taken photographs of the lunar disc under 

 as varied conditions of lighting as possible during several nights, 

 and the inference now drawn depends on the interpretation of 

 the changes in appearance of the highest tips of the lunar craters. 

 Up to the time of writing no direct confirmation of these 

 observations has been received in this country. 



Oxford University Observatory. — The twenty-sixth 

 annual report of the Savilian professor of astronomy to the board 

 of visitors contains an account of the work of the observatory 

 from 1900 May i to 1901 April 30. Prof. Turner states that 

 the staple work during the year has been the measurement and 

 reduction of the plates for the Astrographic Catalogue. This 

 has been partly hindered by the building of the new dome and 

 the arrangements for observing the minor planet Eros during its 

 recent opposition, and also the Nuva Persei. However, seventy- 

 eight plates have been completed during the year, making a 

 total of 7S3 in five years, out of the 11 So required. For the 

 Eros determinations 114 plates were obtained, involving 757 

 different exposures, about half of these having been measured. 



The instruments used in India (1898) and Algiers (1900) were 

 taken to Sumatra by Mr. Newall, who will endeavour to make 

 similar determinations with them of the brightness and polar- 

 isation of the corona, so that data on a uniform scale from all 

 three coronas may be available for measurement. 



All the instruments are in fairly good working order ; the new 

 dome by Messrs. Cooke and Sons gives every satisfaction. 



NO. 1649, VOL. 64] 



THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY, GREENWICH. 

 ^~\N Saturday last the Astronomer Royal presented his report 

 for the past year to the Board of Visitors of the Royal 

 Observatory. The weather was not all that could be desired 

 on such an occasion, but the rain, which fell later in the after- 

 noon was not sufficiently heavy to mar the proceedings. 



Among the numerous guests were M. and Madame Lcewy 

 from Paris. 



Below will be found a brief risumi of the report : — 



Transit Circle. 



The sun, moon, planets and fundamental stars have been 

 regularly observed on the meridian as in previous years. The 

 number of transits, the separate limbs being counted as one 

 observation, amounts to 10,938. 



The number of stars observed in 1900 is 4787. 



The apparent correction for discordance between the nadir 

 observations and stars observed by reflexion for 1900 was found 

 to be -o"'39. The results of recent years are as follows : — 

 Mean. Range in Yearly Means. 



1S92-1900 



-0-34 

 + 0-03 

 -0'30 



From - 0'29 to -045 

 ,, -0'12 to +0'09 



,, -0-25 to -0'4i 



The Nezv Altazimuth. 



This instrument is in good working order, and the new chrono- 

 graph has worked satisfactorily. Some inconvenience has, 

 however, been caused by breakages in the system of spider 

 lines, which has a larger span than is really necessary. 



The instrument has been used during the year mainly as a 

 reversible transit-circle in the meridian in four positions for the 

 better investigation of systematic errors, and for observation of 

 the Eros reference stars and fundamental stars. 



Throughout the year 6937 observations have been made, in- 

 cluding those for the determination of the chief instrumental 

 errors. 



The 2S-inch refractor has been used throughout the year for 

 micrometric measurements of double stars. 



With the 26-inch Thompson equatorial, the most important 

 work has been the photographing of the planet Eros during 

 the recent opposition for determination of the solar parallax. 

 255 photographs have been obtained, 197 of which show the 

 planet satisfactorily. 



A strograph ic Equatorial. 



Up to May 10, 682 plates have been taken on 167 nights ; 72 

 of these, for various reasons, have, however, been rejected. In 

 addition to the plates for the chart, 7 photographs were secured 

 for the adjustment of the instrument, two of standard areas, 

 294 of Eros, 139 of Nova Persei, and 3 of Comet b 1900. 



The report states that 144 chart plates have been copied on 

 glass, and during the year 81,000 measures of pairs of images 

 (6m. and 3m.), as well as of the diameters of the 6m. images, 

 have been made. The number of plates measured in the twelve 

 months in two positions of the plates is 137. 



The measurement of the plates is now completed for 1412 

 square degrees out of 2087 (which is the area of the Greenwich 

 zone), so that two-thirds of the whole work of measurement 

 has now been done. 



Spectroscopic and Heliographic Observations. 



With the Thompson equatorial and the photographic 

 spectroscope mounted on it, 22 photographs of the spectra 

 of Capella, Regulus, Arcturus, Spica, o and ^ Ursas Majoris 

 with comparison spectra have been obtained, and some pre- 

 liminary measures of these give satisfactory results. The 

 spectroscope is now in good adjustment. 



For the year 1900, Greenwich photographs have been selected 

 for measurement on 146 days, and photographs from India and 

 Mauritius (filling up gaps in the series) on 214 days, making a 

 total of 360 days out of 365 on which photographs are at present 

 available. The decline in the number of spots noticed in the 

 last report has been continued, and the minimum may be con- 

 sidered as reached, no Greenwich photograph showing a spot 

 since March 7. 



Magnetic Observations. 



The variations of magnetic declination, horizontal force and 

 vertical force, and of earth currents, have been registered photo- 

 graphically, and accompanying eye observations of absolute 



