It4 
branches of science. The memoirs are ‘‘not for the specialist, 
but interesting and popular expositions of what the specialist 
knows to be sound and opportune.” A number of the memoirs 
are reprints of addresses and articles which have appeared in 
NATURE, some are original articles, and others are translations 
or reprints from contributions to various scientific publications. 
Almost every phase of scientific activity seems to be included 
among the papers, and many subjects are illustrated by fine 
half-tone pictures. The Smithsonian Institution does good 
service to science by the publication of these sound and in- 
structive surveys of the state of natural knowledge. 
THE additions to the Zoological Society’s Gardens during the 
past week include a Smooth-headed Capuchin (Ces monachus) 
from South-east Brazil, presented by Mr. Herbert Gibson; a 
Palm Squirrel (Sczurus palmarum) from India, presented by 
Miss Aggie O’Connor; a Kinkajou (Cercoleptes candivolvulus, 2 ) 
from South America, presented by Mr. J. J. Quelch ; a Mexican 
Guan (Ortalzs vetula) from Cartagena, Colombia, presented by 
Captain W. H. Milner; a Martinique Gallinule (/onornds 
martinicus), captured at sea, presented by Mr. H. O. Milner; 
a Leith’s Tortoise ( Zestudo /eithz) from Egypt, presented by Mr. 
S. S. Flower; a Black-tailed Wallaby (AZacropus walabatus, 9 ) 
from New South Wales, three Rabbit-eared Bandicoots (Pera- 
gale lagotts, 3 8), two Spotted Bower Birds (Chlamydodera 
maculata) from Australia, two Westermann’s Cassowaries 
(Casuarius westermannz) from New Guinea, a White-throated 
Monitor ( Varanus albigularis) from South Africa, two Starred 
Tortoises (Zestudo elegans) from India, four Elephantine 
Tortoises (Zestudo elephantina) from the Aldabra Islands, 
deposited. 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 
ASTRONOMICAL OCCURRENCES IN JUNE :— 
June I. 14h. 53m. to 15h. gom. Occultation of the star 
19 Piscium (mag. 5°2) by the moon. 
7. 16h. 43m. to 17h. 53m. Partial eclipse of the sun 
visible at Greenwich. The greatest phase occurs at 
17h. 17m., at which time o°188 (nearly one-fifth) of 
the sun’s disc will be obscured. At places N.W. of 
Greenwich the eclipse will be of somewhat greater 
magnitude. 
It. 2h. Saturn in opposition to the sun. 
15. Illuminated portion of the disc of Venus o0*904, of 
Mars 0°913. 
20. Ith. 3om. Minimum of the variable star Algol 
(B Persei). 
22. 7h. Saturn in conjunction with the moon. 
23. Sh. 19m. Minimum of the variable star Algol 
(B Persei). 
23. 10h. 34m. to 11h. 41m. 
(mag. 5°8) by the moon. 
24. 13h. 17m. to 14h. I2m. 
(mag. 5°1) by the moon. 
25. 10h. 45m. torth. 48m. Occultation of B.A.C. 7145 
(mag. 6'0) by the moon, 
27. 12h. 59m. to 14h. 2m. 
(mag. 5°5) by the moon. 
28, Ith. 22m. to 12h. rom. 
(mag. 5) by the moon. 
Occultation of B. A.C. 6343 
Occultation of / Sagittarii 
Occultation of « Aquarii 
Occultation of « Piscium 
Comet 1899 a (SWIFT).— 
Ephemerts for 12h. Berlin Mean Time. 
1899. R.A Decl. Br. 
Ee aitls aS. Ch ilecs 
June 1 17 58 35 + 50 13°1 
2 17 36 8 55 138 1°34 
3 17.15 28 54) yay 
4 16 56 46 2 3972 1°18 
5 16 39 54 5t 975 
6 16 24 46 49 34°6 1'03 
7) Se eG Tess 47 57°1 
Site I5 59 12 + 46 1871 o'$8 
NO. 1544, VOL. 60] 
NATURE 
[JUNE 1, 1899 
The comet is now passing with a greatly accelerated motion 
in a south-westerly direction. During the week it will traverse 
the constellations Draco and Herculis; on the Ist it passes 
close to € Draconis, while on the 8th it will be a little more 
than 1° north-west of » Herculis. In Ast. Mach., No. 3567, 
Prof. A. A. Nijland, of Utrecht, says that, viewed with a 
finder of 74 mm, aperture on May 5, the comet appeared about 
5°5 mag., having a tail about 1°°5 in length. 
TEMPEL’s CoMET (1873 II.).— 
Ephemerts for 12h. Paris Mean Time. 
1899. R.A. Decl. Br. 
Weotels 5 ‘ Peay 
June 1 19 34 17°4 = '352) SOF meena 
Sim 37 19°0 3 58 10 
Ss 40 18°6 4. Siz ieee 70 
Wo AZ 1651... 4 14 21 
fo) 5 AG UIT) os. 4. 25 27ers) 
iat) 49 54... 4 38 45 
Heh A Bac iss, 5y7/esaos 4 54 22e hee 25 
D5) setOMSAMATeenes 5 D225 
As the comet approaches perihelion (June 18) it is rapidly 
becoming brighter, and should now be visible with small in- 
struments. It reached its highest northerly declination on 
May 26, and is now travelling to the south-east through 
Aquila into the head of Capricornus. 
New VARIABLE OF ALGoL Typre.—M. Ceraski, of the 
Moscow Observatory, writes in Astv. Mach. (Bd. 149, No. 3567), 
announcing the discovery of a new variable of the Algol type in 
the constellation Cygnus. The star was detected by the varying 
intensity of its image on photographs taken during May and 
July 1898. Its position is 
B.D. + 45°°3062. 1855. R.A. = 2oh, 2m. 24°55. 
Decl. = + 45° 52°9. 
Its magnitude is usually about 8°6, but on May 8 this year it 
was observed to be at minimum about 13°4h., Moscow mean 
time, its light then being nearly two magnitudes fainter than the 
normal, 
VARIABLE RADIAL VELOCITY OF ¢ GEMINORUM.—Prof. 
W. W. Campbell has called attention to this star in a paper 
communicated to the Astrophysical Journal (vol. ix. p. 86, 
1899), where he gives the results of measures on three photo- 
graphs. In Ast. Nach. (Bd. 149, No. 3565), M. A. Belopolsky 
gives the results of an extensive series of measures he has been 
able to obtain with the 30-inch refractor and two-prism spectro- 
graph of the Pulkowa Observatory. The individual observations 
are given, and also a summation in the form of a table showing 
the radial velocities at stated intervals from minimum, This 
latter is as follows :— 
Interval from 2 Interval from . 
minimum Velocity minimum Wes] 
| 
d. h. Weeder. 
ONe2 + 4°76 g.M Gy ih —270 g.M. 
Oo 12 + 2°86 6 19 + 1:96 
ne +071 | tsa + 3°00 
200 + 0°68 |) omy + 3/02 
ae +004 9 6 + 5°06 
3 12 + 0°50 | 9 15 + 4°41 
7 — 0°40 | to 2 + 4°II 
4 13 + 0°34 
Prof. Campbell’s maximum and minimum values were 20 kil. 
and 6 kil. respectively. 
THE RESULTS OF THE “ VALDIVIA” 
EXPEDITION. : 
D® SUPAN gives the following summary (based on the 
official report in the Rezchis-Anzetger of March 25) of the 
chief results of the German expedition in the Valdivia to 
Antarctic waters, in the April number of /Pelermann’s 
Mitteclungen. 
(1) Rediscovery and determination of position of Bouvet 
Island, first discovered by Bouvet in 1739, and sighted since 
then only by Lindsay (t808) and Norris (1825). The island, 
which lies in lat. 54° 26’ S., long. 3° 24’ E., and is 94 kilo- 
rt a ett i ae 
