March 9, 1899] 



NA rURE 



449 



Black-backed Jackal (Cants niesoinelas) from South Africa, 

 presented l)y Mr. R. C. Cooper ; a Wild Cat (Felis caliis) from 

 Scotland, presented by Mr. Claude Alexander ; a Silver Pheasant 

 {EuploiiiiiiHS nyclhemerus, S ) from China, presented by Mr. 

 W. McNaughton Love ; two Thars (Hcniitragus jetiilauus, i 9 ) 

 from the Himalayas; a Long-billed Butcher Crow ( C?-<ii7(V;m 

 destructor) from New Holland ; a Laughing Kingfisher (ZJacif/fl 

 gigantea) from Australia, deposited ; a Thick-tailed Opossum 

 (Didelphys crassicaudata, 9 ) from La Plata, a White-eyebrowed 

 Guan (Penelope superciliaris) from South-east Brazil, a Little 

 Guan {Ortalis motmot) from tluiana, three Elliot's Pheasants 

 {Phasiaiiiis ellioti, <J 9 9 ) from China, purchased. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 

 Comet 1899 a (Swift). — Three telegrams have been received 

 from Kiel announcing the discovery of the first new comet of 

 this year. Two observations of it appear to have been made, 

 the respective positions being as follows : — 



1899. R.A. Decl. 



h. m. s. . , „ 



March 3 ... 3 45 o ... - 29 o o 

 4 ... 3 4S o ... -27 7 o 

 b ... 3 37 S ... -24 8 32 



It is described as being bright enough to be seen with the 

 naked eye, and having a slow movement. 



The comet should be looked for immediately after sunset in 

 the south-eastern sky. At present it is about 12° due south of 

 the 2nd magnitude star 7 Eridani, passing the meridian about 

 5.30 p.m. As a guide to its position, it is nearly on the line 

 joining a and 3 Orionis, about twice as far from the latter as 

 these two stars are apart. 



Tuitle's Comet. — Another telegram from Kiel com- 

 municates an ephemeris of this comet, which has been com- 

 puted by J. Rahts from data obtained in 1885. 



Epkemeris for \zh. M.T. Berlin. 

 1800. R.A. Decl. Hr. 



The brightness, in terms of its intensity in 1SS5, August 10, 

 this being unity. The above positions extend from about half- 

 way between a and /3 AndroniedLi; to the centre of the con- 

 stellation Triangulum. It should be looked for soon after 

 sunset. 



As we go to press, a telegram has been received announcing 

 the observation by Herr Wolf of a comet sufficiently near the 

 position given in the above ephemeris to suggest its being the 

 same. The coordinates are as follows : — 



R.A. 



h. m. s. 



I 16 O 



Decl. 



March 5 II. 5 ... i 16 O ... 4-31 38 O 



No information is given concerning the brightness of the 

 comet. 



LowEi.i. Observatory. — In " Popular Astronomy," vol. 

 vii. p. 74, Mr. A. E. Douglass gives a resume oi the planetary 

 work which has been done at the Lowell Observatory, FlagstatT, 

 Arizona, during the past four years. Observations of Mercury, 

 by Messrs. Lowell and Drew, confirmed Schiaparelli's result 

 that the planet rotates once during its revolution round the sun. 

 Lines of various widths and dark patches were seen. Venus 

 was examined hy the same observers, and also found to con- 

 tinuously present the same aspect to the sun. The markings 

 are faint but certain with good seeing. The prevailing straw- 



NO. 1532. VOL. 59] 



colour seen is ascribed to the presence of an atmosphere. Mars 

 has received special attention, Mr. Lowell having found a 

 number of new canals and lakes. Much time was spent in 

 tracing the seasonal changes on the planet. The white South 

 Polar cap was observed to diminish as the equinox approached, 

 and at the same time a dark line formed round it, the grey tint 

 of the south temperate zone assuming a distinct bluish green, 

 strongly suggestive of growing vegetation. Later this zone 

 turned brown, and finally to a slowly lightening yellow. 



The frequently observed projections on the terminator are 

 ascribed by Prof \V. H. Pickering to clouds in the Martian atmo- 

 spheres. These clouds appear to only form during the planet's 

 night ; and this, if true, helps to explain the high mean tem- 

 perature of the planet as was suggested, in 1S92, by Prof. 

 Pickering. 



Vesta is foimd to have a polar compression of ^"5, the major 

 diameter being almost in the direction of its orbit. The mark- 

 ings detected indicate a direct rotation in less than thirty hours. 

 Jupiter's satellites have been carefully observed to compare with 

 the results of Prof. Pickering at Arequipa in 1S92. The 

 period of rotation of Satellite I. is found to be I2h. 24'om. ; 

 its ellipticity is perceptibly greater than in 1892, and its mean 

 diameter slightly less. Detail was .seen in .Satellite II., show- 

 ing rotation, but no time deduced. Satellites III. and IV. have 

 direct rotation, always presenting the same face to Jupiter. 



The paper concludes with a proposal to establish a systematic 

 notation for further expressing the observing conditions under 

 which astronomical work is carried on. The author gives a 

 " scale of seeing," based on the appearance of the stellar image 

 in a lens of six inches aperture. 



THE NORTHERN POLYTECHNIC, 

 HOLLO IVAV. 

 'pO form a correct estimate of the existing provisions for the 

 -*■ education of the millions who are crowded into the 

 metropolitan area, it is essential to give an adequate consider- 

 ation to the work being done by the fifteen separate institu- 

 tions and branches which are included under the London poly- 

 technics. The buildings in which this work is being accom- 

 plished may be estimated to have cost at least half a million 

 sterling in capital outlay, and to be expending about 130,000/. 

 annually upon some 50,000 students of the multitude of subjects 

 for which provision is made. The receipts from fees and other 

 miscellaneous sources do not exceed 30,000/., leaving 100,000/. 

 to be met from other funds. Private subscriptions probably 

 amount to 10,000/. The contributions of the City Companies 

 (principally the Drapers', Goldsmiths', and Skinners') provide 

 some 20,000/. more. But at least 70,000/., or about two-thirds of 

 the net cost of the work, is drawn from public funds. The grants 

 of the Science and Art Department may be estimated at 10,000/. 

 The Central Governing Body of the City Parochial Charities 

 contributes altogether about 30,000/. , and the London County 

 Council, through its Technical Education Board, supplies 

 30,000/., definitely allocated to the part of the work falling 

 within the statutory definition of technical instruction. 



" Each polytechnic institute is an independent organisation, 

 unique in its deliberate combination of social intercourse, re- 

 creation and instruction. It is not subject to control by any 

 Government department or other authority, and free, within the 

 limits of its own trust-deed or other constitutional document, 

 to move in whatever direction may be determined on by its 

 governing body." They are, however, with one exception, 

 based upon schemes of the Charity Commission and subject, 

 10 a certain extent, to ultimate control by that body. They 

 necessarily defer to any suggestions made by the trustees of the 

 City Parochial Charities, since they, all but two, receive large 

 sums of money from them. The Technical Education Board 

 of the London County Council exerts a very real authority over 

 the educational work carried on in these institutions ; for all 

 of them, with two exceptions, are in a great measure dependent 

 upon the large subsidies from this source. 



It must not be lost sight of that "in every polytechnic insti- 

 tute the club rooms for men and women respectively, the con- 

 certs and entertainments of various sorts, the popular lectures 

 and excursions, form a leading feature. Well equipped gymnasia 

 and playing-fields, billiards and other games, reading-rooms and 

 lending libraries, as well as mutual societies of all kinds (de- 

 bating, essay, Shakespeare, swimming, rambling, cycling, 



