16 
NEAT OGRE 
[| A7ay 6, 1886 
Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros lasiotus &) from India, two Punjaub 
Wild Sheep (Ovs cycloceros) from North-West India, received 
in exchange. 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN 
THE INFLUENCE OF PHASE ON THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE 
MINOR PLANETS.—Dr. G. Miiller gives an interesting discus- 
sion in the Astronomische Nachrichten, Nos. 2724-2725, of the 
variations in brightness of seven of the minor planets. The 
determinations of the magnitudes of these objects were made 
by means of a photometer, on Zollner’s principle, attached 
either to the Steinheil telescope of the Potsdam Observatory, 
of aperture 135 mm. aperture, or to the Grubb equatorial of 
207 mm. aperture. The result of these observations seems to 
show that there is a real connection between the phase of these 
planets and their apparent brightness, and that Lambert’s law 
of phase brightness does not apply to them. Dr. Miiller further 
divides the planets he has observed into two classes. In the 
first class, which embraces Vesta, Iris, Massilia, and Amphitrite, 
the changes in brightness are only perceptible as the planet 
approaches opposition; in the second, which contains Ceres, 
Pallas, and Irene, the changes in brightness seem to be co- 
extensive with the changes of phase. The planets of the first 
group thus correspond in their behaviour to the planet Mars, 
and Dr. Miiller thinks we may fairly infer therefrom a similarity 
in their physical condition to that of the ruddy planet. The 
planets of the second class would appear, on the other hand, 
to give a light curve similar to that given by our moon, or 
rather perhaps by Mercury ; it is therefore not improbable that 
they bear more resemblance in their physical constitution to that 
body. 
ComE?T Fasry.—The following ephemeris by Dr. S. Oppen- 
heim is taken from the Astronomische Nachrichten, No. 2722 :— 
for Berlin Midnight 
1886 “ R.A. Decl. Log » Log A Brightness 
ints) Sh y 
May3 5 116 7 3311S. 9°9351 9°2358 381°4 
5 616 8 22 594 9°9017 9°4446 195°2 
DE) 70 13053) 1301304 9°9877 95698 97°33 
1S 7 3443 34 18°8 0°0130 96758 532 
19 7 55 560 36 296 0°0373 9°7632 318 
23 OMNES 5 wes Soro 00606 9°8364 = 20°4 
27 8 23 52 38 53:2 0'0828 98992 13°38 
31 8 34 0 39 39°2S. O'104I 9°9528 98 
The brightness on 1885 December 1 is taken as unity. 
BARNARD’S COMET.—The following ephemeris by Dr. H. 
Oppenheim (dst7. Machr., No. 2714) is in continuation of that 
given in NATURE for April 1, p. 518 :— 
LE phemeris for Berlin Midnight 
1886 R.A. Decl. Logy Loga Bright- 
Jet, ky Gh 3 ness 
May6 1 41 34 39 23°5N. 96858 98894 155 
Io I 50 59 36 42°5 9°7087 9°8125 199 
14 2 8 29 31 42°6 9°7429 9°7266 253 
18 2 35 41 23 16°9 9°7828 9°6374 318 
wey Bh 1} 1o 16°3 N. 9°8242 9°5619 371 
26 35859 6 32°5S. 9°8648 975291 359 
The brightness on 1885 December 5 is taken as unity. 
THr APPLICATION OF PHOTOGRAPHY TO ASTRONOMY.—In 
Appendix III. to the ‘‘ Washington Observations for 1882,” 
Prof. Harkness, U.S.N., commenting on the difficulty of pre- 
venting the solar rays from disturbing the adjustments of a 
meridian instrument employed in observing the sun, points out 
that photography seems to afford an escape from the difficulty. 
He suggests that a transit-circle might be so constructed that 
its eye-piece could be readily removed, and a sensitive photo- 
graphic plate inserted just behind its wire system. Then with 
the eye-piece in position stars can be observed, and the instru- 
mental constants determined in the usual way ; while at noon a 
photographic plate can be inserted, and an instantaneous ex- 
posure will suffice to give an image of the sun with the transit 
and declination wires of the instrument imprinted upon it. The 
position of the sun’s centre relatively to these wires having been 
measured, this, together with the instrumental constants, the 
circle-reading and the sidereal time of exposure will give an 
exact determination of the sun’s right ascension and declination. 
As the instruments will be exposed to the sun’s rays only for a 
few thousandths of a second, no disturbance of its constants can, 
Prof. Harkness thinks, arise from that cause ; and the results, 
in his opirion, would probably be superior in accuracy to any 
hitherto obtained by the usual methods. 
ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA FOR THE 
WEEK 1886 MAY 9-15 
(Eos the reckoning of time the civil day, commencing at 
Greenwich mean midnight, counting the hours on to 24, 
is here employed. ) 
At Greenwich on May 9 
Sun rises, 4h. 20m. ; souths, 11h. 56m. 1673s. ; sets, 19h. 33m. ; 
decl. on meridian, 17° 25’ N.: Sidereal Time at Sunset, 
1oh. 43m. 
Moon (at First Quarter on May 11) rises, 9h. 12m.; souths. 
16h, 58m. 3; sets, oh. 36m.*; decl. on meridian, 16° 37’ N. 
Planet Rises Souths Sets Decl. on meridian 
h. m. h. m. h. m. on oe 
Mercury 3 46 10 19 16 52 5 5r Ne 
Venus ... 370 9 4 TSO eco OMG) 
Mars 12 40 19 34 2; 28" -. OUSZENE 
Jupiter... 14 21 20 39 2.157% 2. 2a50mNe 
Saturnles) :--10 7am 15 13 23 25 22 50N. 
* Indicates that the setting is that of the following morning 
Occultation of Star by the Moon (visible at Greenwich) 
Corresponding 
angles from ver- 
May Star Mag. Disap. Reap. “testo right for 
inverted image 
h. m. h, m. a a 
15... 6 Virginis 3 YA ents TAZ ese ete S ESO. 93 309 
May h. 
13° 3 tO Jupiter in conjunction with and 0° 25’ north 
of the Moon. 
Variable Stars 
Star R.A. Decl. 
ha ems One hi ome 
¢ Geminorum 6 574... 20 44 N.... May 9, 21 30 7 
3) 145 204ow 
S Cancri Aces) Comey Neem ney INA Rin gy 1 I. 18) 7 
R Ursz Majoris... 10 36°6 ... 69 22 N. A eh M 
3 Librze aid 5 4iOlen ro Are ph BRO ev! 
WaCoronze) =.) ee ts gsOken 32 a4 Ne s3) L Spe uelyaaeze 
RiDraconisi.2 2 TOES 2:4 07 ese a Los mL. 
U Ophiuchi... P17 910:8'... 11 2OUN. 2 5,8 LO; MOM 
and at intervals of 20 8 
X Sagittarii... . 17 404... 27 47S. .. May 12, 2 20m 
ye 15; (ONO 
W Sagittarii co Uf SYA en ZO) GS PSG CNRS) ZC 
R Lyre pee US MO 43 OO np LS} M 
T Aquarii » 20 43°90 =. 15. 34'S 05) m 
5 Cephei 22) 24-0 22157) 5OMN! 5; 10, 20s onmz 
M signifies maximum 3; 7 minimum. 
Meteor Showers 
Amongst the secondary radiants active at this time are the 
following :—From Lynx, R.A. 123°, Decl. 4o° N.; near 
3 Libra, R.A. 223°, Decl. 10° S. ; from Delphinus, R.A. 304°, 
Decl. 7° N.; near ¢ Cygni, R.A. 320°, Decl. 18° N. ; near 
« Andromede, R.A. 354°, Decl. 41° N. 
BIOLOGICAL NOTES 
THE HYMENOPTERA OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDs.—In the 
Proceedings of the Literary and Scientific Society of Manchester 
(vol. xxv. pp. 123-183) is a valuable contribution on_ the 
Hymenopterous insect-fauna of the Hawaiian Islands, by the Rey. 
T. Blackburn, B.A., who resided there for many years, with a 
short introduction and annotations by Mr. P. Cameron. 
Eighty-four species are catalogued or described, but Mr. Black- 
burn says he has taken over 100. The greater part of the 
species appear to be strictly autochthonous. Of the Anthophila 
(or bees) there are 14 species (excluding the introduced honey- 
bee), and it is curious that ro of these belong to I genus— 
Prosopis. Of the Fossores there are 35 species, and here again there 
is a paucity of genera, for 19 are includedin Odynervus and 11 in 
Crabro. Of Heterogyna (ants) are only 10 species ; and about 25 
species of the various parasitic and hyper-parasitic groups. No 
indication of any of the phytophagous forms occurs in the paper. 
Before Mr, Blackburn went to the Hawaiian Islands the insect- 
fauna was almost unknown, so far as what may be termed the 
