Dec. 3, 1 885 J 



NA TURE 



107 



most important researches in the subject. Dealing rather with 

 principles than with details, it is adapted for the use of students 

 with a fair knowledge of the principles of Chemistry and the out- 

 lines of the study of Energy. The book is divided into two 

 parts — the first devoted to the statement and consideration of 

 the various branches of thermal chemistry ; the second com- 

 prising most of the data on which the science is built. These 

 data are classified and tabulated in five appendices, which it is 

 hoped will prove of considerable service to students. 



A NEW and thoroughly revised edition of Mr. H B. Wood- 

 ward's " Geology of England and Wales " is announced. The 

 author has devoted nearly all his leisure hours since 1876 to the 

 preparation of it, sparing no pains to render it as complete and 

 accurate as possible. While giving prominence to the general 

 description of the rocks, their leading fossils, and economic 

 products, some details will be inserted to show the chief varia- 

 tions of the strata when traced across the country. Numerous 

 tables and diagrams will also be given, to show the relations 

 of the larger groups and of the local and minor divisions of 

 each series of stratified rocks. The history of each rock-name, 

 and its synonyms, so far as possible, will be briefly noted. The 

 endeavour is made to explain every local rock-name, as well as 

 the terms applied to particular beds or zones of fossils. The 

 account of the geology of the principal lines of railway will be 

 very much enlarged. The book will be published by subscrip- 

 tion. Mr. Woodward's address is 7, Kelvin Terrace, Highbury 

 Park, X. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Levaillant's Cynictis {Cynictis lei'aillanti i) 

 from South Africa, presented by Mr. W. Hope ; a Yellow-footed 

 Rock Kangaroo {Pdrogak xanthopus ? ), a Wedge-tailed Eagle 

 [Aquila auclax) from Australia, presented by Mr. G. T. Wills ; 

 a Cape Buffalo (Bul'alus caffcr i ) from South Africa, presented 

 by Mr. J. Gorton ; two Cape-crowned Cranes {Balcarica chryso- 

 pelargits) from South Africa, presented by His Excellency Sir 

 Henry E. Bulwer, G.C.M.G. ; t>LGo^3.vi\i{Astur palumbarius), 

 European, presented by Mr. W. H. St. Quintin ; an Indian 

 Kite (Milviis goviiida) from India, presented by Mrs. E. C. 

 Mathews ; a Cerastes Viper ( Vipera cerastes) from Moses' Well, 

 Arabia, presented by Lieut. -Col. G.W. Smith ; two Moose (Alces 

 machlis 6 9 ) from Norway, a Blue and Yellow Macaw {Ara 

 ararautin), a Red and Yellow Macaw [Ara chloroptera] from 

 South America, four Gold Pheasants ( 77;3?</«ato //c/a <? (5 ¥ ? ) 

 from China, deposited ; two Ring-tailed Lemurs (Lemur 

 catla i 6 ) from Madagascar, two Aldrovandi's Skinks {Plestiodon 

 auratus) from North- West Africa, purchased ; three Lions 

 (Felis leo), born in the Gardens. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN 



The Dearborn Observatory. — Prof. Hough's report to 

 the Directors of the Chicago Astronomical Society is as usual 

 chiefly occupied with the observations of Jupiter which have 

 been made with the great refractor. The great red spot still 

 forms, of course, the object of greatest interest. The curious 

 filling up which it underwent last February, whereby for a time 

 it presented the appearance of a reddish elliptical ring, with a 

 white centre, is described, and also its gradual return to its 

 normal appearance. The red spot has now been watched for 

 seven years, and during that time its latitude, shape, and size 

 have undergone but little change. The length, however, 

 appears to have diminished slightly in 1884 as compared with 

 1883, Prof Hough's measurements being I2""29 for 1883, and 

 li"'26 for 1884. The breadth, on the other hand, seems some- 

 what greater, so that it is less markedly elliptical than in former 

 years. The mean rotation period for the interval 1S84 September 

 25 to 1885 June 29 was found to be 9h. 55m. 40^45. , or some- 

 what greater than in previous years. " The depression in the 

 i-quatorial belt under the red spot, which was formed in 1S82, 



has continued, but is gradually being obliterated." "The prin- 

 cipal equatorial white spot which has been observed since 1879 

 was not so conspicuous as in former years." The old rotation 

 value, gh. 50m. 9"8s. , satisfied the observations. 



Of other observations the principal recorded are the discovery 

 of thirty-nine new double stars, an observation of the companion 

 to Sirius, 1885 '195, Dist. = 7"'96, Posn. Angle = 32°7, and a 

 series of photographs of the sun taken during the partial eclipse 

 of 1885 March 16. Prof Hough describes a printing chrono- 

 graph which he has had constructed, and which records at once 

 the time of an observation to the hundredth of a second, and 

 obviates the labour now necessary to convert the ordinary 

 chronographic record into numbers. He estimates the pecuniary 

 value of this labour in a first-class observatory as at least 200/. 

 annually. 



ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA FOR THE 

 WEEK, 1S85, DECEMBER 6-12 



(For the reckoning of time the civil day, commencing at 

 Greenwich mean midnight, counting the hours on to 24, is here 

 employed. ) 



At Greenwich on December 6 



Sun rises, 7h. 53m. ; souths, iih. 511 

 decl. on meridian, 22° 34' S. : 

 20h. 52m. 



Moon (New) rises, 7h. l8m. ; souths, 1 

 decl. on meridian, 17° 34' S. 



Planet Rises Souths 



h. m. h. m. 



Mercury ... 9 36 ... 13 18 . 



Venus ... 11 16 ... 15 17 .. 



Mars ... 23 II* ... 60.. 



Jupiter ... I 8 ... 712 



Saturn ... 17 19* ... i 28 .. 



1. 22"3s. ; sets, I5h. som. ; 

 Sidereal Time at Sunset, 



ih. 51m. ; sets, i6h. 2im. 



Sets 

 h. m. 

 17 O 

 19 IS 



12 49 



13 16 



9 37 



24 55 S. 

 22 12 S. 



8 48 N. 



o 5 S. 

 22 25 N. 



Indicates that the rising is that of the precedinij day. 



Occultations of Stars by the Moon 



Mag. 



Disap. 





iS 56 



Corresponding 

 angles from ver- 

 tex to right for 

 inverted image 



... 166 306 



... 88 355 



4 27 II. eel. disap. 



5 26 IV. tr. ing. 

 7 30 IV. tr. egr. 

 I 59 II. tr. ing. 

 4 47 II. tr. egr. 



Saturn, December 6.— Outer major axis of outer ring = 46"*2 : 

 outer minor axis of outer ring = 2o"'l : southern surface visible. 



U Cephei. 



Algol ., 

 \ Tauri 

 S Cancri . 

 X Sagittar 

 It Aquilce . 



5 Cephei . 



Mercury in conjunction with and 6" 3' 



south of the Moon. 

 Venus at greatest elongation from the Sun, 



47° east. 

 Mercury stationary. 

 Venus in conjunction with and 5° 56' south 



of the Moon. 



Variable Stars 



