638 
NATURE 
[OcroBER 23, 1902 
placed in the same electrical circuit, whereas the experiments 
show that under certain conditions the quantity of hydrogen 
from the water vapour which collects at the kathode is five or 
six times as large as that which separates in the voltameter. 
TuE additions to the Zoological Society’s Gardens during the 
past week include a Chacma Baboon (Cynocephalus porcarius) 
from South Africa, presented by Captain R. Bolton ; a Campbell’s 
Monkey (Cercopithecus campbell) from West Africa, presented 
by Mr. F. G. Lloyd ; a Getulian Ground Squirrel (Xerus getzlus) 
from Morocco, presented by Mr. Arthur Gill; a Cape Hyrax 
(Hyrax capensis) from South Africa, presented by Mr. A. C. 
Boddam Whetham ; two Egyptian Jerboas (Dzpus oegyptius) 
from North Africa, presented by Mr. G. Swales; a Spotted 
Eagle Owl (Auda maculosus) from Africa, presented by Mr. C. H. 
Turner ;a Horned Capuchin (Cebes apella), a Tayra (Gadlictis 
barbara) from South America, a Jelerang Squirel (Scturus 
bicolor), a Larger Racket-tailed Drongo (Dissemurus paradiseus), 
two White-throated Ground Thrushes (Geocichla cyanonotis), 
an Indian Pitta ( Pétéa bvachyura), an Indian Dial-bird ( Copsychus 
saularis) from India, a Common Rat Kangaroo (/olorus 
tyidactylus) from Australia, a Common Water-Buck (Cobus 
ellipsiprymnus) from South Africa, four Flat-backed Tortoises 
(Testudo platynota), a Phayre’s Trionyx (Trionyx phayrit) from 
Burmah, two Eroded Cinixys (Crzxys evosa) from West Africa, 
two Bell's Cinixys (Cznéxys bed/iana) from Tropical Africa, three 
Pennsylvanian Mud Terrapins (Cznosternium pennsylvanicum) 
from North America, deposited; an Ambherst’s Pheasant 
(Thaumalea amherstioe) from China, purchased. 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 
Comer 4, 1902 (PERRINE).—The photograph of this comet 
which accompanies this note was secured by Dr. Isaac Roberts 
on the evening of October 10. It was taken with his 20-inch 
reflector and received less than one hour’s exposure, namely, 
52 minutes. A great amount of detail is shown on the original 
positive from which this reproduction has been made, and it 
will be noticed that the comet has a multiple tail, two of com- , 
paratively large dimensions and several smaller streamers. 
The rapidity with which the comet is travelling relatively to 
the stars can be gathered from the length of the star trails on 
the plate, the observer correcting the telescope for the comet’s 
motion at short intervals. 
NO. 1721, VOL. 06] 
A Bricut Merror.—Mr. W. Lascelles-Scott, of Little 
Ilford, Essex, states in the TZémes that at about 
7.52 p.m. on October 15 he observed a bright meteor 
aud noted the following particulars as to its path :— 
“General course and direction of the meteor, N.W. by 
N. towards S.W. ; general angle of course to S. W. on horizontal 
plane, 30°; general length of course to S.W. about 105° 
general shape of course, like an inclined and attenuated letter 
S; apparent diameter of meteor at maxznwm, about 1-25th of 
that of the moon, or 4: 100; apparent brightness at maximum, 
about {th that of the moon, or 12: 100; colour variations, 
from faint yellow, through blue to purplish at finish ; apparent 
duration, about 3°8 sec. (nearly 4 sec.); coruscation, faint 
tripartite at finish.” 
OBSERVATIONS OF FIFTY-EIGHT LONG-PERIOD VARIABLES. 
—Part ii. of vol. xxvii. of the Azza/s of the Harvard College 
Observatory is devoted to the observations of fifty-eight long- 
period variables. The methods employed in making these 
observations were explained in part i. of this volume in reference 
to a similar research with regard to circumpolar long-period 
variables. Most of the stars are brighter than tenth magnitude, 
and these have been observed with the meridian photometer ; 
those between the tenth and thirteenth magnitudes have been 
observed with the photometer attached to the 15-inch equatorial. 
By taking a series of comparison stars in the immediate 
neighbourhood, observing their magnitudes in order of bright- 
ness and their differences in magnitude, and then plotting a 
smooth curve having for its abscissa these approximate bright- 
nesses, and its ordinate the photometric magnitude, a very 
trustworthy value has been obtained for the magnitude of each 
variable. 
A New ALGOL VaRIABLE.—In No. 3820 of the <Astrono- 
mische Nachrichten, Mr. A. Stanley Williams announces the 
discovery that the star B.D. + 41°*504 isa variable of the Algol 
type. The position of this star is R.A. = 2h. 30m. 50s., Dec. = 
41° 34/3 (1855), and its normal magnitude 9°4. At minimum 
the star’s brightness decreases to nearly twelfth magnitude. 
Owing to the various observations being interrupted by clouds 
and by daylight, the instant of minimum has not been finally 
determined, but from the observations which have been made, 
the following elements and ephemeris have been found :— 
Minimum of 14 1902 Persei = 1902 Sept. 16, 16h, 38m. G.M.T. 
+ 3d. th. 21m. 32s.‘23 E. 
= J.D. 2416009°6934 + 3.056623 E. 
Ephemeris for every fifth minimum. 
E. Date. GMI. E. Date. G.M.T. 
h. m. h, m. 
2070... 1902 Oct. 17-.... 6 14. 247ie:. [OOF PeD IO emdzegs 
emer), Nov. 1 sc. 13) Sei25e-. sane ViavoeSeeemer 
Bier 5, >, I6..3) 19) 49 w2hyeee. esse aslo) PEW 
Dope ,, Dec. 2.2.0 laeg7 tl26or72 as Apres emonge 
O25) cd EV MC) ior 28 ees ie aiteiccs 65, che 
eRe 1903 Jan. I ... 16) T2272... Was Mayans neces 
Parmer ss 93, 16 sm e23e Ole meyivnnes) auisp AT SI Oem 
pice 5, Feb. I... 548 
NOTES ON THE RECENT , ERUPTIONS OF 
MONT PELEE. 
Dominica, September 24. 
August 17.—A steamer passing five miles to the west of Mont 
Pelée met a heavy ash cloud, which rendered the day as dark 
as night whilst the vessel passed through it. The deck was 
covered with ash. 
August 18 and 19.—News reached here of further eruptions 
of Mont Pelée. 
August 25.—Detonations heard during the day. 
August 26.—Loud detonations and sounds like growlings 
were heard in the afternoon and evening. To the south-west of 
the island there were very heavy black ash clouds like a wall 
with a level top. The sun set behind this cloud as though a 
solid mass, all rays of light being cut off. During the whole 
day the upper atmosphere was charged with dust, but very 
little fell on this island. 
August 28.—In the evening there was a magnificent display 
of lightning from Mont Pelée, and the sky in the direction of 
the volcano glowed with a pinkish light. At 11 p.m., lightning 
