49$ 



NA TURE 



{Sept. 18, 1884 



cynoswms) from West Africa, two Victoria Crowned Pigeons 

 (Goura victoria) from the Island of Jobie, deposited ; three 

 Ruddy Flamingoes (Phcenicopterus ruber) from North America, 

 purchased ; two Ring-tailed Lemurs (Lemur cat/a), a Great 

 Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus 6 ), born in the Gardens. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN 

 Astronomical Photography. — M. Mouchez, the Director 

 of the Observatory of Paris, has communicated to the Academy 

 of Sciences a brief account of some experimental attempts to 

 photograph very small stars, which have been lately made at 

 that establishment. The ecliptical star-charts, commenced by 

 Chacornac, but interrupted in their formation by his decease, 

 were taken up by MM. Paul and Prosper Henry in 1872. These 

 charts include all stars to the thirteenth magnitude ; thirty-six of 

 the entire number of seventy-two required for the whole ecliptical 

 zone were completed by Chacornac ; these contain 60,000 stars ; 

 while sixteen more, containing 36, ceo stars, have been con- 

 structed by MM. Henry, who will shortly finish four others, 

 with 15,000 stars. Put they now find themselves in face of a 

 difficulty which can hardly be overcome by the ordinary process 

 of charting. The condensation of stars in those regions where the 

 Galaxy traverses the ecliptic is so great as apparently to defy an 

 accurate and complete representation of their stellar contents, on 

 the methods adopted for the greater part of the zone, notwith- 

 standing all the experience and well-known skill of the ob- 

 servers. 



They have accordingly had recourse to photography, and their 

 first attempts with a provisional apparatus have succeeded so 

 well that there is every reason to expect by this means a solu- 

 tion of the difficulty in question. On plates covering an extent 

 of 3 in right ascension and 2" in declination, obtained with an 

 objective of 0"l6 m. diameter and 2" 10 m. focal distance, achro- 

 matised for the chemical rays — which M. Mouchez exhibited to 

 the Academy — there are shown some 1500 stars from the sixth 

 to the twelfth magnitude, i.e. to the limit of visibility of an ob- 

 jective of that size ; the images of the stars have diameters nearly 

 proportional to their brightness, except in the case of the yellow 

 stars, which come out somewhat fainter. These encouraging 

 results have led MM. Henry to commence the construction of a 

 large objective of 0^34 m. diameter, which will be mounted by 

 M. Gautier, and it is anticipated that with this instrument, in the 

 course of an hour, a chart of the stars, to the twelfth magnitude 

 at least, and probably to the thirteenth or fourteenth, of the same 

 dimensions as one of the published charts, will be obtained ; 

 a work which would otherwise require many months of assiduous 

 labour. 



The British Association Catalogue of Stars. — In a 

 book-list circulated during the last week by a Dresden firm, a 

 copy of this Catalogue has a price of 200 marks (10/.) attached, 

 excused by the addition, " Aeusserst selten." As regards star- 

 places the volume is out of date, and the same may be said of 

 the so-called constants for reduction of mean to apparent posi- 

 tions, if any degree of accuracy be required ; but it is neverthe- 

 less still sought after, especially by those who are commencing 

 the study of astronomy, as will be well known to every one who 

 has any pretence to be considered a practical authority ; and it 

 must be admitted that, for purposes of identification and for 

 synonyms in some of the principal older catalogues, theB.A.C. 

 has still its uses. The question arises, whether there would not 

 be a considerable demand for a new general Catalogue of the 

 principal stars, or of stars to the limit of naked-eye vision, 

 brought up from the best authorities to, say, the epoch 1900, 

 but unencumbered with the reduction-quantities, which would 

 materially diminish the expense of formation. A Catalogue of 

 this description, we take it, is not likely to be again provided 

 from the funds of such a body as the British Association, and 

 perhaps the most feasible method of producing it would be by 

 way of subscription. One difficulty would no doubt consist in 

 securing a supervisor of the plan and formation of the work ; — 

 perhaps few competent persons could be named who have the 

 leisure which Baily fortunately possessed, and to which we owe 

 not only the B.A.C. but the Catalogues of Lalande and Lacaille. 



The Comet 1884/1. — Prof. Krueger's telegram to Melbourne- 

 led to the observation of this comet, both by Mr. Ellery and 

 Mr. Tebbutt on July 24. Mr. Tebbutt sends us several letters 

 which he has addressed to the Sydney Morning- Herald. 



THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION 



REPORTS 



Report of /he Committee, con istirig of Dr. Gladstone, F.R.S. 

 (Sec-elary), Mr. William Shaen, Mr. Stephen Bourne, Miss 

 Lydli llee'er, Sir John Lubbock, Bart., M.P., F.R.S., Dr. H. 

 IV. Crosskey, Sir Henry E. Roscoe, F.R.S., Mr. James Heymood, 



F.R.S. , and Prof. N. Sorv Mastelyne, M.P., F.R.S., for the 

 Purpose 0/ Continuing the Inquiries relating to the Teaching of 

 Science in Elemen'ary Schools. — Since the reappointment of 

 your Committee at Southport no legislation affecting the teach- 

 ing of science in elementary schools has taken place, and it is 

 yet too early to estimate the whole influence of the Education 

 Code of 1SS2 in that respect. Some indications, however, have 

 been gathered from the Blue-book and from some of the large 

 Boards. The first effect of the change of Code upon the teach- 

 ing of science is shown in the return of the Education Depart- 

 ment for this year ; but as the tabulated statements only extend 

 to August 31, 1883, they contain merely the results of those 

 examinations that were made of schools which came under the 

 new Code between April I and August 1, 1SS2, or about 28 per 

 cent, of the whole. The following conclusions may be drawn : 

 (1) Elementary science was taken up by scarcely any schools 

 examined during these months, the number of departments that 

 took it up as the second class subject being only 15, while 398S 

 took up geography, 1644 (girls) needlework, and 114 history. 

 It must be remembered that geography is more scientific than it 

 was before, but needlewo k is rapidly displacing it in girls' 

 schools. (2) The exclusion of the Fourth Standard from in- 

 struction in specific subjects has reduced the number of scholars 

 so taught by 56'6 per cent. ; but the remaining 43*4 per cent., 

 that is to say, the children in Standards V., VI., and VII., do 

 receive a larger proportion of scientific teaching. The actual 

 number of children examined during these four months in the 

 mathematical and scientific specific subjects is given in Column I. 

 of the following table ; Column II. gives the estimated number 

 w ho would have been examined under the old Code ; Column 

 III. the number of those who would have been above 

 Standard IV. 



3,696 



Totals 



25,802 



^9,3°9 



12,608 



Comparing Columns I. and II., it will be seen that the actua 

 number examined in these subjects is not much less than would 

 have been examined under the old Code, when the Fourth 

 Standard was included ; but the number of girls who have taken 

 up domestic economy is 10,800 less. If we compare Column I. 

 with Column III., which embraces the same Standards, it appears 

 that double the number of children have passed in these mathe- 

 matical and scientific subjects. This is, no doubt, mainly due 

 to the fact that English literature and physical geography are 

 removed to the category of class subjects. The great gain has 

 evidently been to the study of algebra, that subject and Euclid 

 being taken up by about eleven times as many as previously took 

 up mathematics. Animal physiology and botany have also 

 largely increased. Mechanics is about the same, while of the 

 new subjects magnetism and electricity has proved itself the 

 favourite, while agriculture, chemistry, and sound, light, and 

 heat follow in order. The only subject that has actually lost 

 ground is domestic economy, which is no longer obligatory in 

 girls' schools if a specific subject is taken. The following table 

 gives the number of passes in specific subjects made by the 

 London School Board children in 1881-82, and in 1883-84. 

 The second column gives the estimated number of those that 

 were made in Standards above IV., corresponding to Column III. 

 in the previous table. 



