NATURE 
| Varch 1, 1883 - 
_AN Electro-technical Exhibition will be opened at Konigsberg 
on April 15 next. 
_ THE additions to the Zoological Society’s Gardens during the 
past week include two Common Marmosets (Hafale jacchus) 
from Brazil, two Brazilian Caracaras (Polyborus brasiliensis) 
from Uruguay, presented by Mr. Donald F. Mackenzie ; a Rook 
(Corvus frugilegus), a Common Magpie (Pica caudata), British, 
presented by Mr. C. L. Sutherland ; a Lump Fish (Cyclopterus 
Jumpus), British Seas, presented by Mr. W. K. Stanley; a 
Bonnet Monkey (Macacus radiatus) from India, deposited ; a 
Humboldt’s Saki (Pithecia monachus) from the Amazons, a 
Squirrel Monkey (Chrysothrix sciurea) from Guiana, two Red- 
vented Bulbuls (Pycnonotus hemorrhous) from India, a Crested 
Black Eagle (Lophoaétus occipitalis) from West Africa, a Cirl 
Bunting (Zméeriza cirlus), British, purchased; a Zebu (Bos 
indicus 6), five Brown-tailed Gerbilles (Gerdc/lus erythrurus), 
born in the Gardens. 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN 
CERASKI’s VARIABLE STAR, U CEPHE!.—On comparing Dr. 
Julius Schmidt’s observations of this star in 1882, with minima 
determined by the same obseryer in the autumn of 1880, there 
results a period of 2°49289 days, or 2d. 11h, 49m. 46s., on the 
assumption that itis regular or equable. Dr. Schmidt suspected 
a marked variation in the period, each successive period being 
525 seconds longer than the preceding one. The following are 
the times of minima in March, which will be observable here :— 
h. m. h. m. h, m. 
March 2 ... 12 43 | March 12... 12 2] March 22 ... 11 21 
Wivene, N2y 22) 7p Pere ti thy bf 2yeearlt 0 
THE ToraL Sonar ECLIPSE OF 1901, MAY 17.—The ensuing 
return of the solar eclipse in May next, for the observation of 
which this country with France and the United States have 
despatched observers to the Pacific, will take place on May 17, 
1901, when the duration of totality will be even longer than in 
the present year, and the part of our globe where observations 
will be most advantageously made will be rather more accessible 
than in the approaching eclipse. The following are approxi- 
mate elements of the phenomenon :— - 
G.M.T. of conjunction in R.A. 1901, May 17, 17h. 28m, 14s. 
Right ascension Pr tat cca comet 54 15 36 
Moon’s hourly motionin R.A. ... ... 39 30 
Sun’s 35 5 Pk ae 2 29 
Moon’s declination wach Peles eves...) SLO MEIIES TAIN 
Sun’s AB Rotates 19 23 49 N 
Moon’s hourly motion in decl. 5 144N 
Sun’s "A 9 0 34 N 
Moon’s horizontal parallax 60 57 
Sun’s cD ” oy) 
Moon’s true semi-diameter 16 36°5 
Sun’s oe An aA 15 48°9 
Hence the middle of the general eclipse occurs at 17h. 33m. 255. 
G.M.T. The central phase commences in longitude 39° 57’ E., 
latitude 27° 21'S ; the eclipse is central and total with the sun 
on the meridian in longitude 97° o’ E., latitude 2° 7’ S., and 
the central phase ends in longitude i57° 8’ E., latitude 
130’ S. If we calculate directly fora point in 100° 59 E. and 
1’ 14’ S., which is close upon the central line and to the west 
coast of Sumatra, we find— 
h. m. s. 
Beginning of totality, May 18, at o 22 11 
Ending c 28 35 
Hence the duration of total phase is 6m. 24s. 
tude is 68°, 
THE VARIABLE STAR, S VIRGINIS.—This object, which 
varies between 5°7m. and 12°5m., appears to have escaped ob- 
servation during the last few years. Prof. Schénfeld assigns a 
period of 374 days, according to which, reckoning from his 
tabular maximum, the last would have occurred on October 25, 
1882, and if the minimum falls about 119 days before maxi- 
mum, as stated by the Bonn astronomer, one will be due about 
July 8. This star has an intense reddish-yellow light : its posi- 
tion for 1883 is in R.A, 13h. 26m. 54s., N.P.D. 96° 36’. 
Local mean 
time. 
The sun’s alti- 
” ” 
There is a suspicion that another star in the vicinity varies 
through about two magnitudes, 8-10. Its place for 1883 is in 
R.A. 13h. 24m, 26s., N.P.D. 98° 58’. 
THE Binary STAR, ¢ CANCRI.—Among several orbits re- 
cently calculated for this star by Dr. H. Seeliger, in an interest- 
ing memoir communicated to the Academy of Sciences at 
Vienna, the following is perhaps the most satisfactory :— 
Passage of Peri-astron ... 1870°393 
Node Poehite Aeacaretets 71 32 
Node to Peri-astron on orbit 113 52 
Inclination 10 53 
Eccentricity 0°34327 
Mean motion tne ont epee — 5°°8867 
Semisaxismnajor ss a/4y.c. | ec eee eee o”'8515 
Period of revolution 61154 
This orbit gives for 1883°0, position 71°'1, distance 0°88 ; 
and for 1885'0, position 61°°4, distance 0°93. 
GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES 
As there seems to be some misunderstanding as to the route 
to be followed by Baron Nordenskjéld in his Greenland Expe- 
dition, we may say that we have good reason to believe that 
there is no intention to proceed along the west coast to Cape 
York. An attempt will certainly be made to add to our know- 
ledge of the old Danish se tlements on the south and south-east 
coast, but the chief purpose of the expedition is to further ex- 
plore the east coast, and to penetrate the interior. Baron 
Nordenskjéld will be accompanied by a complete se entific staff ; 
but we believe he does not intend to divulge the details of his 
plan till after the expedition sails. He has made a thorough 
study of all that is known of Greenland ; among other things 
he has published an elaborate investigation of the voyage of the 
Zeni. A Danish expedition, under Lieut. Holm, will also be 
sent to Greenland this year ; it will be away two years. 
THE Russian Geographical Society announces the early publi- 
cation of the following works which it has already received :— 
A large work, by M. Mayeff, being a statistical and economical 
description of the Khanate of Bokhara ; the report of M. Pola- 
koff on his explorations in Sakhalin, with several maps, including 
the eastern coat; and a work, by M. Adrianoff, on the anti- 
quities of the Altay and Sayan, with numerous drawings. These 
works will be published in the Afemoirs of the Society, but each 
of them will appear separately, as soon as printed, without 
awaiting the completion of a volume, as was formerly the case, 
which caused great delay in the appearance of interesting 
papers. 
AT the last meeting of the Caucasian Geographical Society, 
General Stebnitsky exhibited his new orographical map of Asia 
Minor and adjacent countries. The map is based on measure- 
ments of heights of about 1500 places. Dr. Radde made a 
further communication on his great work, ‘‘ Ornis Caucasica,” 
which is the result of his many years’ travels in the Caucasus, 
and of the description of the collection of the Tiflis Museum, 
which contains no less than 4000 specimens of birds. 
M. PoLakorr, who was sent by the Academy of Sciences for 
the exploration of Sakhalin Island and of the coasts of the 
Pacific, spent last winter and spring at Taranka, in the Gulf of 
Patience, and has returned to Korsakovo with rich scientific 
collections. He will now begin the exploration of the coasts of 
Russian Manchuria. One part of his report has already reached 
the Geographical Society. 
News has been received at the Paris Geographical Society 
that the French had reached the banks of the Niger, Colonel 
Desborde haying been obliged to cut his way through the Bele- 
degou region. He fought a battle with the chief of Daba, after 
having crossed a stream called Baoulé. The victory was won by 
artillery, and the chief of Daba was killed, as well as a large 
number of his followers. 
THE Danish Ministry received on February 24 a despatch 
from their representative in St. Petersburg, to the effect 
that the Samoyedes sent out to look for the Dijmphna and 
the Varna, had returned on January 6 to Liapine in the Obi 
basin, and reported that ‘‘neither had they seen any vessel at 
sea, nor heard of any shipwrecked crew.” 
