Oct. 19, 1882] 



NA TURE 



613 



fact, a seal. An iron plate ms prepared with a facing of tur- 

 pentine, wax, and the ashes of burnt paper. Over this was 

 placed an iron frame, in which the clay types were set up until 

 it was full, The whole was then sufficiently heated to melt the 

 wax facing. An iron plate was placed above the types, making 

 them perfectly level, the wax being just soft enough to allow the 

 type, to sink into it to the proper depth. This being done it 

 would be pos-ible to print several hundred or thousand copies 

 with great rapidity. Two forms prepared in this way were ready 

 for the pressman's use, so that when he had done with one he 

 v ould proceed with another without delay. Here U undoubtedly 

 the principle of the printing press of Europe, although western 

 printers can dispense with a soft wax bed for types and can 

 obtain a level surface without this device. Perhaps the need of 

 capital to lay in a stock of types, the want of a good type-metal 

 easily cut and sufficiently hard, and the superior beauty of the 

 Chinese characters when carved in wood have prevented the 

 wide employment of the movable types which are so convenient 

 for all alphabe'ic writing. The inventor of this mode of printing 

 in movable types five centuries before they were invented in 

 Europe was named Pi Sheng. 



The manner in which the Chinese Government render the 

 popular deities subservient to political ends has been noticed by 

 Sir Alfred Lyall in a paper in the Fortnightly Review in the 

 beginning of the present year. In a recent Peking Gazette we 

 find an instance of how a deity is raised in rank for presumed 

 public services. The military governor of Urumtsi prays the 

 Emperor to confer a tablet on the deities of a mountain in his 

 district, in recognition of various acts of supernatural interposi- 

 tion. In this mountain there is a large lake of unfathomable 

 depth, upon the waters of iwhich the inhabitants of the whole 

 surrounding country rely for the irrigation of their lands. Of 

 recent years, however, it appeal's the springs had shown signs of 

 exhaustion, and much anxiety has been felt on this account. 

 Last year a temple, dedicated to the divinities of the mountain, 

 was erected, and scarcely had it been completed when the water 

 in the lake rose more than a hundred feet, and has ever since 

 afforded an unfailing supply of water. The assistance of these 

 deities has been invoked with unvarying succe-s on many occa- 

 sions when locusts threatened to devastate the country, or when 

 snow was urgently needed for the protection of the crops. The 

 memorialist thinks that important services such as these should 

 not go unrequited, and he begs therefore, in accordance with the 

 expressed wish of the inhabitants, to address the Emperor on the 

 subject. His Majesty replies graciously conferring the suggested 

 tablet on mountain divinities. 



The Vienna municipal authorities have established a number 

 of regulations for persons wishing to manoeuvre a balloon. They 

 are obliged to prove that they have gone through a course of 

 instruction with a competent aeronaut, and have executed by 

 themselves a number of successful ascents. Persons desirous to 

 be passengers in a balloon are obliged to procure an authorisation 

 from their wife and children, if any. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 pa-t week include two Macaque Monkeys (Macacns cynomolgns 

 9 9 ) from India, presented by Mr. A. Cornet ; a Common 

 Paradoxure (Paradoxiirns typtti) from India, presented by Sir 

 Louis S. Jackson, F.Z.S. ; a Golden Eagle (Aqtiila ckrysaitos) 

 from Hudson's Bay, presented by Capt. Hawes ; five Delaland's 

 Geckos (Tarentola delalandii), four Millipedes (Joulus, sp. 

 inc.) from Teneriffe, two Sharp-headed Lizards (Lacerta 

 exycephala) from Madeira, presented by Mr. A. D. Bartlett ; a 

 Galeated Pentnnyx (Pelomedusa galeata) from South Africa, pre- 

 sented by Mr. W. A. Watkins ; two Black Wallabys (Halmaturus 

 iialabatus) from New South Wales, a Dormouse Pbalanger 

 (Dromicia nana) from Tasmania, a Grand Eclectus (Eclectus 



grandis) froai Moluccas, a Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus poly- 

 chloms) from New Guinea, purchased ; a Rufous Rat Kangaroo 

 (Hypsiprymnus ntfescens 6 ), a Squirrel-like Phalanger (Belidens 

 sciureus 9 ), born in the Gardens. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN 



The Observatory at Chicago. — We have received from 

 Professor G. W. Hough his annual report as director ol 

 the Dearborn Observatory at Chicago, for the year 18S2. 

 It is mainly devoted to the reduction and discussion of the 

 numerous series of observations on the spots upon the disc of 

 the planet Jupiter, made wiih the iSVinch refractor, including 

 measures for position of the great red spot, of equatorial white 

 spots and other markings, and angles of position of the equa- 

 torial belt. The observations extend over the period from 

 September, 1879, to March, 1SS2. Those made in 1879 and 

 1880 showed that the red spot was retrograding with accelerated 

 velocity, and this drifting has continued with such uniformity, 

 that Prof. Hough considers "the position of the spot at any 

 fu'ure period can be very accurately computed." It was found 

 that all the observations could be fairly represented by a period 

 of rotation, varying directly with the time, and the discussion 

 leads to the following formula : — 



1S79, September 25 + / X O'O3209s., 

 which gives 9I1. 55m. 35 '93. for the mean period between Sep- 

 tember 25, 1S79, and March 29, 1SS2, comprising 916 days, or 

 2214 rotations of the planet. 



Hence it is inferred thu the apparent rotation-period has 

 increased about four second; since the opposition of 1879, 

 showing a total drift of the red spot in longitude of 40,000 

 miles ; and Prof. Hough regards his observations as evidence 

 that the great red spot is not the solid portion of the planet. 

 " An immense floating island," nearly 30,000 miles in length, 

 and more than Sooo in breadth, ha. " maintained its shape and 

 size, without material change, during more than three years." 

 lie has failed to recognise any fading of the colour of the spot, 

 which on February 2 in the present year he judged to be a light 

 pink, as formerly. Although the dimensions of the spot may 

 not be said to have materially changed, the micrometrical mea- 

 sures do indicate a diminution in length to the extent of o"'9j 

 between the oppositions of 1S70 and 1881, at which latter 

 epoch it was n"'30 (reduced to Jupiter's mean distance). 



The direction of the south edge of the equatorial belt was 

 nearly parallel with the planet's equator, as given in Marth's 

 ephemeris ; the north edge of this belt was found to be slightly 

 concave. 



The elliptical white spots were more numerous in 1SS2 than 

 previously ; but with the exception of two situate south of the 

 red spot, they were seen with difficulty, and were only measur- 

 able under best vision. The two spots named were observed 

 systematically during the three months from November 21, 

 1SS1, to February 23, 18S2. The following of the two appeared 

 to be at rest relatively to the red spot from November 22 to 

 December 6, and subsequently to drift in the directio 1 of rota- 

 tion to the extent of about 41° ; the average drift during the last 

 two months was at the rate of fifteen miles per hour. The pre- 

 ceding spot also did not retain the same relative position in 

 longitude with respect to the great red spot. Prof. Hough adds : 

 " The observations of the small white spots during 1880 and 

 1881 prove that the whole surface of the planet outside the 

 margin of the equatorial belt rotates with nearly the same late." 

 The approximate rotation- period for the principal white spot 

 between the edges of the great equatorial belt \vas9h. 50m. 9 - 8s. 

 from observations over more than eight months, which is the 

 same as fir the second spot observed during 18S0. Hence the^e 

 equatorial white spots drift in the direction of the planet's rota- 

 tion, at about 260 miles per hour, or through a complete revolu- 

 tion in about 45 days. 



Twelve tinted drawings of the appearance of the di^c of 

 Jupiter accompany the report. The fir^t of two made on July 3, 

 1880, shows the second satellite just entering on the great red 

 spot at 15I1. 43'Sm., and the other, made nine minutes later, 

 shows it nearly over its centre. A notch was formed so soon as 

 the satellite touched the end of the red spot, and when com- 

 pletely entered, it appeared as white as when outside the planet's 

 disc. 



Mr. S. W. Burnham, who was at the Washburne Observatory 



