\ 
Nov. io, 1881 | 
or Mira Ceti, R.A. 2h. 13m. D.S. 3° 31’. This changes from 
_ 2 mag. to equality with a very minute companion in about 
331d. 8h. 4m., but not without some uncertainty. Its 
colour, according to Sir J. Herschel, is a full ruby ; Isaw 
it so once, when about 10 mag., if it was the right star, 
but it was immediately clouded over: at another time, 
near maximum, pale yellow, without a trace of red. 
Flammarion also finds it by direct comparison less red 
than a gas flame. This tint would be an interesting 
object of study; but care must be taken in identification. 
Mira is now decreasing. 
Having mentioned the head of Aves, we must recollect 
that y, the smallest of the three stars, is a double, interest- 
ing as the first of these objects recorded by Hooke in 1664, 
and a fine object, nearly 9” distant. These three stars 
are introduced into this diagram as guides to 7rzangulum 
just above them, where we shall find our last two objects. 
t, RA. 2h. 5m., D.N. 29° 44’, topaz and green, an 
exquisitely coloured pair, 54 and 7 mags., distance 3"5 ; 
perhaps in slow orbital motion. We shall pick it up 
about ?° north of a,a little to the east. The other is a 
strange phanomenon, 
M 33, R.A. th. 27m., D.N. 30° 4’, about 1° north of a, 
and not far towards the west. Feeble as it is, it will be 
visible even with a very small aperture, from its great extent; 
fully $°, or the diameter of the moon, from north to south ; 
but on the other hand may, from want of contrast, be im- 
perceptible with any but a very low power. The elder 
Herschel thought it was resolved into the minutest 
possible stars ; but this has not been confirmed. His son 
and d’Arrest find a principal condensation with subordi- 
nate nuclei and nebulous tracts; the Earl of Rosse, a 
flocculent and spiral structure, with curved intersecting 
branches ; a strange, incomprehensible form. 
Our space will not admit of an extension of this very 
meagre and imperfect selection, limited for the most part, 
for obvious reasons, to such portions of our autumnal sky 
as are rapidly passing away. T. W. WEBB 
AN OBSERVATORY FOR HONGKONG 
WE observe that Sir John Hennessy, the Governor of 
Hongkong, has succeeded in getting an item of 
twenty thousand dollars for an observatory and time ball 
passed by his Legislative Council in the estimates for the 
current year, in addition to a sum of ten thousand dollars 
voted for the same purpose last year. 
Major H. S. Palmer, of the Royal Engineers, has been 
sought by the Colonial Government, and in a valuable 
paper published in one of the most recent Government 
Gazettes, he details the advantages, imperial and local, 
which may be expected from a physical observatory in 
Hongkong. The favourable position of the island for 
certain observations, especially with regard to the typhoons 
of the China Seas, on meteorology generally, and on ter- 
restrial magnetism, was first brought to the Governor's 
notice in September, 1879, through the Secretary of State 
for the Colonies, by Dr. Warren De La Rue, as Vice- 
Chairman of the Kew Committee of the Royal Society. 
He pointed out the extreme importance of obtaining 
accurate records of the magnetic and meteorological con- 
ditions of the China Seas. There are at present only four 
observatories at which continuous observations are taken 
on the eastern coast of Asia and the adjacent islands— 
one at Batavia, in Java, supported by the Dutch Govern- 
ment, one attached to the Russian embassy at Peking, 
one at Siccawei, near Shanghai, and one at Manila. The 
two last are supported by the Society of Jesus. It is 
pointed out that Hongkong divides the distance between 
Siccawei and Manila, and would consequently be a most 
valuable acquisition to the list. The support of the 
Government of the Colony for a limited number of 
years to an observatory provided with self-recording 
instruments is therefore invoked. English officials and 
NATURE 
39 
The advice of | 
merchants abroad do not as a rule display much 
interest in science, and it is therefore fortunate that 
the gentleman at present at the head of the Govern- 
ment of Hongkong is one capable of appreciating the 
great importance of Dr. De La Rue’s suggestion and of 
energetically carrying it out. Governor Hennessy had 
indeed in some sense anticipated the request, for he had, 
two years previously, in the first estimates which he pre- 
pared for the colony, obtained five thousand dollars from 
his Council for an observatory and time-ball. He entirely 
agreed with Dr. De La Rue’s remarks, and added that 
the clearness of the atmosphere at certain seasons would 
admit of a valuable record being made of sun-spots, 
while the tides and varying temperature of the seas sur- 
rounding Hongkong, and the slight but frequent earth- 
quake phenomena, would also be deserving of the atten- 
tion of competent observers. A sum of between thirty 
and forty thousand dollars has been granted altogether 
for the establishment of an observatory, the chief objects 
of which are— 
1. To determine the local time by astronomical obser- 
vations, and drop a time-ball daily. 
2. To obtain a series of meteorological observations 
with instruments of the best kinds, and to acquire infor- 
mation relating to the typhoons and monsoons of the 
China seas, 
3. To obtain a series of observations in terrestrial 
magnetism, also with the best modern apparatus. 
In his report Major Palmer addresses himself to each 
of these subjects separately. He recommends, we are 
glad to notice, that none but the best instruments should 
be employed, and that the observatory records should be 
made and published with scientific precision, and be such 
as tocommand public confidence. The meteorological 
departent, he points out, besides furnishing science 
with valuable data from a locality well suited for the 
observation and collection of facts appertaining to certain 
phenomena of special interest, cannot fail to havea direct 
| and practical value by affording security, by its predic- 
tions and weather-warnings, to life and property in seas 
navigated by vast numbers of native and foreign vessels, 
but subject, during four or five months of the year, to 
rotatory storms of appalling violence and danger. Its 
operations, as well as its purpose, would be twofold. 
There would be the systematic observation and record of 
the ordinary phenomena of pressure, temperature, humi- 
dity, rain, sunshine, wind, and hydrometeors, such as are 
usual in observatories of the first order, and observations 
of atmospheric electricity. The second branch would be 
the observation and collection, as far as possible, of 
facts and phenomena relating to typhoons, both for the 
protection of marine interests and for the purpose of 
contributing bit by bit to our knowledge of a subject at 
present but little understood. He recommends that 
measures should be taken to enable the director of the 
observatory to be placed in prompt telegraphic commu- 
nication with Manila, Amoy, Shanghai, Saigon, and 
Singapore, as well as with the south of Japan, and 
indicates the steps necessary for this purpose. 
As for terrestrial magnetism, the character of the rocks 
and soil of Hongkong, and the neighbouring promontory 
of Kau-lung, is not, he thinks, the most favourable that 
could be chosen for magnetic research, yet the position 
of the colony on the magnetic chart, and with respect to 
other places where observatories are already established, 
leaves no room to doubt the value of well-conducted 
observations. 
As to the staff of the observatory, a director, Major 
Palmer very properly suggests, should be obtained 
through the Astronomer-Royal, and thinks a salary of 
not less than 700/.a year should be given. Minor officers 
could be obtained among the non-commissioned officers 
of the Ordnance Survey Companies of the Royal Engi- 
neers. The prime cost he estimates at 6300/., and the 
