May 12, 1904] 



NATURE 



39 



prototype of a class of speculative treatment, considerable 

 in number, some of them recent, and all of them futile." 



In the current number of the Zeiisclirift fiir anorganischc 

 Chemie, Prof. B. Brauner describes the preparation and 

 properties of acid sulphates of the rare earths. The cerium 

 s;ilt has the formula Ce,(SO,)3.3H,SOj, and salts of the 

 same type have also been obtained for lanthanum, praseo- 

 dymium, neodymium, samarium and yttrium. These acid 

 sulphates are only incompletely converted into the normal 

 salts at high temperatures, and the author's opinion is that 

 all atomic weight determinations of the rare earth metals, in 

 which the sulphates obtained synthetically have been eni- 

 ploypu, are on this account inaccurate. 



In the March number of the Physical Review, Mr. T. E. 

 Doubt describes some experiments dealing with the effect 

 of the intensity on the velocity of light. The results of 

 these experiments justify the conclusion that for light 

 travelling in air a change in intensity in the ratio of i to 

 aqo.ooo does not alter its velocity by as much as 57 centi- 

 metres per second. In the case of water, a change in 

 intensity in the ratio of i to 43,000 does not alter the 

 velocity by as much as 80 centimetres per second, that is, 

 by I part in 1000 million parts. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during 

 the past week include a Pig-tailed Monkey (Macaciis 

 iiciiicstritiiis) from India, presented by Mrs. Mackenzie 

 Fraser ; a Smooth-headed Capuchin (Cebus monachus) from 

 South-east Brazil, presented by Mr. Arthur Collins; a 

 Ruffed Lemur (Lemur varius) from Madagascar, presented 

 by Lady Constance Stewart Richardson ; a Pigmy Hog 

 (I'orcula salviana) from Bhotan, presented by Mr. D. H. 

 Felce ; two Markhoors {Capra mcgaceros) from North-east 

 India, two Punjaub Wild .Sheep (Ovis cycloceros) from 

 North-west India, presented by Colonel Deane ; three 

 Chinchillas {Chincliiila lanigera) from Chili, presented by 

 Mr. .Andres Ker ; two Coypu Rats (Myopotamus coypus) 

 from South .America, presented by Mr. H. L. Horsfall ; two 

 Ring-tailed Pigeons (Columha caribbaea) from Jamaica, pre- 

 sented by Mr. D. Seth-Smith ; two Spur-winged Geese 

 {PIcctropteriis gambensis) from West Africa, presented by 

 Mr. J. Lemberg ; two Nutmeg Fruit Pigeons [Myristicivora 

 I'icotor) from Moluccas, two Imperial Nicobar Fruit 

 Pigeons (Carpophaga insiilaris) from the Nicobar Islands, 

 four Andaman Teal (Nettion albigulare), three Andaman 

 Banded Crakes (Ralliiia canningi), six Great-billed Anda- 

 man Parrakeets {Palacornis magnirostris) from the Anda- 

 man Islands, presented by the Government of India; an 

 ICxanthematic Monitor (Varanus exanihematicus) from West 

 .\frica, presented by Mr. Dayrell ; a Rufescent Snake 

 {l.cptodira hotambioca) from South Africa, presented bv 

 Mr. B. McMillan; an .Mien's Bassaricyon (Bassaricyon 

 alleni), six Red and Black Snakes (Eryihrolampus venus- 

 iissimus) from South .America, an Australian Cassowary 

 {Casuarius atistralis), a Gould's Monitor {Varanus gouldi), 

 a Lace Monitor (Varanus varius), a Blue-tongued Lizard 

 {Tiliqua scincoides), a Derbian Wallaby (Macropus 

 derhianus) from Australia, a Sooty Phalanger (Tricliosurus 

 fuliginosus) from Tasmania, two .Australian Barn Owls 

 (Strix delicatula) from .Australia, an Orton's Guan (Pene- 

 lope ortoni) from Ecuador, a Gold-crested Mynah 

 {.iinpcUceps coronatus) from India, a Sarus Crane (Crus 

 antigone) from Northern India, five Lineated Sand Skinks 

 {Clialcides Uncatus), South European ; four Californian 

 Newts (Molge torosa) from California, deposited ; a Black 

 Ape (Cynopithecus niger] from the Celebes, ten Crested 

 Pigeons (Ocyphaps lophotcs) from Australia, purchased. 

 NO. 1802, VOL. 70] 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



Solar Work at the Smithsonian .Astropuvsical 

 Observatory. — Incorporated in the annual report of the 

 Smithsonian Institution, for the twelve months ending June 

 30, 1903, is a report of the work performed in the Astro- 

 physical Observatory, during that period, by Mr. C. G. 

 -Abbot who is in charge. 



.A new horizontal telescope of 20 inches aperture and 140 

 feet focal length, fed by a novel form of two-mirror coelostat, 

 and fitted with an apparatus for thoroughly churning the 

 air inside the tube during the observations, has been mounted 

 for the holographic study of the solar image, and especially 

 sun-spot energy spectra and the absorption of the solar 

 envelope. 



The most notable result of the study of the atmospheric 

 absorption during the above named period was the de- 

 creased transparency of the atmosphere, at Washington, for 

 all wave-lengths, but especially for the violet and ultra- 

 violet radiations. Other results showed that this result 

 was not caused by an excess of moisture in the atmosphere. 

 .Several plates which are included in the report show a 

 diagrammatic view of the new instrument, typical " holo- 

 graphic energy " and " atmospheric transparency " curves, 

 a curve showing the distribution of radiation in the normal 

 solar spectrum outside the earth's atmosphere, and a photo- 

 graph of the large coelostat w'ith the second mirror. 



Meteor Radiants Observed at Athens. — .A communi- 

 cation from Prof. D. Eginitis to No. 3941 of the Astrono- 

 mische Nachrichten gives a list of the radiants observed at 

 -Athens during 1902. Two radiants not given in Denning's 

 " General Catalogue " were recorded in June and July, 

 respectively, as follows : — 



June 27, loh. 5Sm. - I2h. i6m. (Athens M.T.) = 230°, 8= +73° 

 July 29, loh. 40m. -iih.27m.( „ )a= S5°,5=-l-85° 



Several of the radiants obtained from the observations 

 at Athens differ considerably both in time and position from 

 their respective values given in the above named cata- 

 logue. 



The observed radiant for the Perseid shower spreads 

 over a large area, and the principal centre, situated near 

 to rj Persei, alters its position considerably. The Perseids 

 from the region near to a Persei were generally red and 

 bright, whilst those from near tj Persei were fainter and 

 of a reddish-yellow colour. 



Solar Facul-e and Prominence A'ariations. — In a paper 

 communicated to No. 3, vol. xxxiii., of the Memorie della 

 Societd degli Spettroscopisti Ilaliani, Prof. Mascari 

 analyses the latitude and frequency variations of faculae, as 

 observed at Catania, in a manner similar to that recently 

 used by Sir Norman and Dr. Lockyer, whose results he 

 corroborates, for the spots and prominences. 



-After discussing the data obtained from his observations 

 in a series of tables and curves, he arrives at the following 

 general conclusions: — (i) The zone of maximum activity 

 of the groups of facula; lies between the mean latitude 

 + 45" and the equator, and pursues a movement parallel 

 to, and coincident with, that of the spots, but the inverse 

 of that of the prominences. (2) The facula; beyond the 

 principal maximum, in the equatorial region of each hemi- 

 sphere, are not represented in the polar regions. (3) The 

 centre of maximum activity of the prominences occurs 

 generally in the region of minor activity of the facuUe. 



Magnitude Observ.ations of Nova Persei. — In No. 3941 

 of the Astronomische Nachrichten, Father Hagen, S.J., 

 gives a list of the magnitudes of Nova Persei as observed 

 at Georgetown (U.S. -A.) with a 12-inch refractor, from 

 June 19, 1901, to -April 18, 1903. The magnitude on the 

 latter date, from an observation made when the Nova was 

 near the horizon, was 1105. 



-A similar list of magnitude observations, made at Kalocsa 

 by Father M. Esch, S.J., during the period July 8, 1901, 

 to -March 22, 1902, is given in No. 3943 of the same journal 



Comet 1904 tt. — Numerous observations of this comet are 

 recorded in Nos. 3943-4 of the Astrotiomische Nachrichten. 

 Dr. Hartwig, observing at Bamberg on April 17, recorded 

 the total magnitude as 90, and the magnitude of the 

 nucleus alone as 100. The comet had a broad divided tail 

 4' long, the mean position angle of which was 211°; the 

 coma was i'-5 in diameter. 



