March 2, 1882] roses 
* 
NATURE 
421 
author has brought together much curious and useful informa- 
tion on the piscatory, as well as other habits, of our prehistoric 
ancestors, and with considerable ingenuity applies the method 
of evolution in tracing the progress and development of ‘‘the 
gentle art.” 
At Steeten on the Lahn (near Runkel) interesting discoveries 
have recently been made in a cave. They consist of seven 
‘human prehistoric skeletons and animal remains. The latter 
must have belonged to the Tertiary period. They were found 
in such enormous quantities that several generations must be 
represented. The spot positively teems with remains of the 
Cave period, so that it is highly desirable that the State should 
order that more extensive scientific excavations be speedily 
made. 
THE writer of the article on Lieut. Collet’s work on the 
Compass in last week’s NATURE, asks us to make the following 
correction: p. 383, col. 1, line 8 from bottom, delete ‘‘ only,” 
and in line 7, instead of ‘‘ whereas it is three times as much in” 
tread ‘* which is about twice as much as in.” 
THE additions to the Zoological Society’s Gardens during the 
past week include an African Brush-tailed Porcupine (4¢herura 
africana) from West Africa, presented by Mr, J, Cheetham; a 
Black-necked Heron (Ardea atricollis) from Cape Colony, pre- 
sented by the Rev. G. H. R. Fisk, C.M.Z.S. ; two Blossom- 
headed Parrakeets (Palcornis cyanocephalus) from India, pre- 
sented by Mrs. Francis Fox ; a Waxwing (Amfelis garrulus), 
European, presented by Mr. W. H. St. Quintin; a Carrion 
Crow (Corvus corone), British, presented by Mr. F. H. Worsley 
Benison; a Rhesus Monkey (AZacacus erythraus) from India, a 
Bonelli’s Eagle (A%saétas fasciatus), European, deposited ; two 
Common Buntings (Zmberiza miliaria), two Black-headed Gulls 
(Larus vidibundus), a Common Curlew (Mumentus arquata), a 
Bar-tailed Godwit (Zimosa Japponica), two Knots (T7ringa 
canutus), British, purchased, 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN 
THE EarLiest DAy-LIGHT OBSERVATIONS OF STARS.—In 
No. 2616 of the Astronomische Nachrichten Prof. Winnecke has 
an interesting note on the question, Who first observed stars in 
full daylight? The credit of the observation has been generally 
accorded to J. B. Morin in 1635. Arago, for instance, says: 
“Tl est evident que c’est 4 Morin qwil faut remonter pour 
trouver la premiére observation authentique d’une étoile vue en 
plein jour ;” Zach and many other astronomical writers have 
held the same opinion. Morin’s observations are found in his 
work, ‘‘ Longitudinum Terrestrium necnon Ccelestium nova et 
hactenus optata Scientia,” first published, as it appears, in an ex- 
tended form at Paris in 1638. At the end of March, 1635, he 
saw Arcturus half an hour after sunrise, This observation of 
Morin’s appears to have been overlooked in France, since in 
May, 1669, we find Picard expressing his surprise that he had 
been able to observe the meridian altitude of Regulus thirteen 
minutes before sunset ; his observation is printed in Lemonnier’s 
“‘ Histoire Céleste”: ‘‘ Le 3 mai (1669), hauteur méridienne de 
Regulus 54° 42’ 50’, cette hauteur méridienne fut prise en plevw 
jour 7h. 5m. du soir, environ 13m. avant le coucher du Soleil, 
ce qui ne s’étoit encore jamais fait.” On July 23 following he 
observed the meridian-altitude of Arcturus, while the sun was 
17° above the horizon, and speaks of the observation as a re- 
markable one, concluding: ‘il est maintenant facile de trouver 
immeédiatement les Ascensions droites des Etoiles fixes non seule- 
ment par les horlogés 4 pendule, mais aussi par l’observation du 
yertical du Soleil au méme temps qu’on observera la hauteur 
méridienne d’une etoile fixe.” 
Prof. Winnecke points out that Morin was preceded in his 
discovery that the stars may be observed in daylight by more 
than one person. Ina letter written from Amsterdam to Gas- 
sendi, by Martinus Hortensius, and dated October 12, 1636, he 
mentions that observations such as Morin had claimed to be the 
first to make, were by no means new to him, and from the dates 
of the publications in which he records his own observations it is 
clear that his claim of priority to Morin is justified, though 
when his ea*liest observation was made cannot, as Prof, Win- 
necke remarks, be certainly inferred. Schickard, Professor of 
Hebrew and Mathematics at Tubingen, whose first work, the 
‘‘ Astroscopium,” appeared in 1623, and was frequently re- 
printed, saw Arcturus in broad daylight as early as 1632, In 
the “Historia Ccelestis, ex observationibus Tychonis Brahe,” 
by Albertus Curtius, at p. 956 we read: ‘'1632 Martii 2. 
Nota. Cor Scorpii claro die adhuc 4 me visum per conspicilia 
tamen cum Saturnus zegie cognosceretur: nec aér fuit omnino 
purus,” 
Prof. Winnecke concludes that Schickard, as well as Horten- 
sius, had observed fixed stars in daylight previous to Morin, who, 
as we have said, has been generally credited with this advance 
jn astronomical observation, 
Binary STARS.—Mr. J. L. Casey, U.S.A., has calculated 
first approximations to the orbits of  Ursze Majoris and 3 1757 
(Piazzi xiii, 127). The former is one of O. Struve’s discoveries, 
his first and last published epochs being— 
1842°34, Pos. 474, Dist. 0°46. 
1875°48, ,, 29575, certainly oblong. 
The apparent motion being direct, or with increasing angles, 
these indicate a change of 290° in thirty-three years. 
>= 1757 was measured by Struve in 1825. For comparison 
with his first epoch, we add Prof. Asaph Hall’s for 1879— 
Struve, 1825°37, Pos. 10°0, Dist. 160 
A. Hall, 1879°40, ,, 68°9, 5, 2°34 
The elements are as follow :-— 
@ Urse Majoris. = 1757 
Periastron passage ... 1877°12 1797.42 
Node o/s 105 18’ as 344° 43" 
Node to periastron ... Gon! aah a 315° 28° 
Inclination SGP 0 29° 32’ 
Excentricity 0'788 a 0°5079 
Semi-axis major "54 2°29 
Period 115°4 years. 4O1'0O years. 
GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES 
Ar the meeting of the Geographical Society on Monday last, 
Major J. E. Sandeman, B.S.C., read a paper on recent explora- 
tions of the sources of the Irawaddy. He referred first to Mr. R. 
Gordon’s able report on the hydrology and hydrography of the 
river, in which the old theory of the Saupo, or great river of 
Tibet, being the main source of its vast stream, is revived, and 
then to what has lately been done, showing that the Saupo more 
probably unites with the Kihong. Major Sandeman next dealt 
with some endeavours to reach the source of the Irawaddy, more 
especially that made by a Burman named Alaga, who had been 
trained by himself. This man started from Bhamo in October 
1879, and was absent six months. He brought backa good deal 
of information respecting the western and eastern branches of the 
Irawady, but we cannot see how ke can be said to have explored 
their sources. It was somewhat unsatisfactory to learn that 
‘political considerations ”—the old Indian bugbear—prevented 
Major Sandeman from stating why the explorer was compelled 
to turn hack before doing what he was sent to do, Though the 
geographical results of Alaga’s journey are not what might have 
been expected, he has brought back some very interesting infor- 
mation regarding the domestic habits, religious customs, &e., 
more particularly of the Kachins, or Kakhyens. In concluding 
his paper Major Sandeman summed up the various attempts 
which have heen made to reach the sources of the Irawaddy, and 
to discover the true outlet of the Saupo. 
Cot. VENIUKOF has informed the French Geographical 
Society that M. Lessar, a Russian engineer officer, has completed 
the levelling of the country between Askabad and Sarakhs. 
This operation has proved the practicability of constructing a 
railway between these two places, and even for some forty miles 
beyond Sarakhs, in the valley of the Heri-rud (Tejend). It is 
estimated that the cost would not exceed 320,000/. At the same 
time M. Gladycheff, the astronomer of the expedition, has de- 
termined the geographical position of thirteen points between 
Askabad, Sarakhs, and Meshed. At Meshed he is said to have 
purchased the plan of the town which Mr. E. O’Donovan had 
made, but apparently lost. Perhaps Mr. O’Donovan may en- 
lighten us on this point, when he gives his account of his varied 
