62 



NA TURE 



NOVEMHEK 2 1, 19OI 



because it leads them to broad and philosophic views. Both 

 books are tenth editions, a fact which shows that they have 

 been appreciated ; and dovibtless they will maintain their high 

 reputation for some time to come. 



Messrs. Brewster, Smith and Co. have sent us a 

 pamphlet describing an improved form of sulphuretted hydrogen 

 apparatus. The apparatus, which has been designed by Dr. 

 F. M. Perkin, is so arranged that either a constant supply of 

 the sulphuretted hydrogen gas or a saturated aqueous solution 

 can be obtained. It is well known how rapidly an aqueous 

 solution of sulphuretted hydrogen decomposes and becomes 

 unfit for use. The new apparatus is so arranged that the 

 surface of the .solution has always an atmosphere of the gas 

 over it, therefore no oxidisation can take place, and the solution 

 is always saturated. The generating part of the apparatus is a 

 slightly modified form of the apparatus first described by De 

 Koninck, and contains a large supply of acid and of ferrous 

 sulphide, so that when once fitted up it can be used for four or 

 five months without being recharged. In this respect it is cer- 

 tainly an improvement over the "Kipp" apparatus, which 

 requires constant recharging and wastes both of acid and 

 sulphide. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during (he 

 pa« week include a Squirrel WanVey {Chrysothrix Kiurta)hom 

 Guiana, presented by Captain W. A. S. Copp ; two Lesser 

 White-nosed Monkeys {Cercopilhecits petaurtsia) from West 

 Africa, presented by Mr. P. ZaflTere ; two Laughing Kingfishers 

 (Daceh gigantea), a Black-backed Piping Crow {Gymiiorhina 

 tihicen) from Australia, presented liy Captain Westcott ; two 

 Alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) from Southern North 

 America, presented by Mr. Pereival H. Hancock ; a Common 

 Snake (Tropidoiwtiis iiatrix), British, presented by Mr. W. 

 Swan Sonnenschein ; a Pluto Monkey (Cercopithecus leucampyx) 

 from West Africa, two Marica Gazelles (Gazella marica) from 

 Arabia, a Common Roe (Capreoliis caproea albino), European, 

 deposited ; four Lapwings ( Vaiielitis vulgaris), European ; 

 fifteen American Mud Fish {Amia calva), twelve Long-eared 

 Sunfi.sh (Lepomis auri/us), si.\ Black Bass (Huro nigricans) 

 from North America, purchased. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



The Annular Eclipse of the Sun, November 10, 1901. 

 — In the Comptes rendus (vol. cxxxiii. p. 768) there is a com- 

 munication from M. Janssen stating that he has received by 

 telegram notice of the success of the expedition sent to Cairo to 

 observe the recent annular solar eclipse. He had requested M. 

 de la Baume Pluvinel to photograph the spectrum of the solar 

 light grazing the moon's limb ; this had been done, and the 

 photographs showed no trace of any absorption which might 

 suggest the presence of a lunar atmosphere. M. Pasteur had 

 obtained large-scale photographs of the sun with granulations. 

 The result of the expedition was therefore to be considered 

 entirely successful. 



The Leonid Meteors, No\ember, 1901. — A telegram to 

 the daily Press through Renter's agency announces that a con- 

 siderable number of meteors have been observed in localities 

 where the weather conditions were propitious. Advices from 

 many stations in the United States report more or less brilliant 

 displays of the Leonids as having been seen on Thursday and 

 Friday nights. A steamer from New Orleans reports having 

 seen a great shower near Cape Hatteras early on Friday morning 

 (November 15). The only night on which the sky was at all 

 favourable in London was Thur.sday, November 14, and on that 

 occasion continual watch was kept by three observers at the 

 Solar Physics Observatory from 11 p.m to 4 a.m. A 

 few meteors were seen, from twenty to thirty, but nothing in 

 the semblance of a definite shower was presented. Many of 

 the shooting stars seen were very brilliant, but those traced out 

 as being Perseids or Taurids were as numerous as those decidedly 

 radiating from the sickle of Leo, so that probably there was 



NO. 1673, ^'^^- 65] 



nothing more than is to be seen on any good night for the 

 same interval of time. Several photographic cameras were 

 being exposed in different directions in the hope of recording 

 trails, but without success. The 6-inch prismatic camera was 

 adjusted some distance ahead of the radiant, on the star Pollux 

 (& Geminorum), and a very bright meteor was observed to pass 

 close to the star ; but although special care was taken in develop- 

 ment, nothing beyond the star spectrum was obtained on the 

 plate. 



Structure of the Rec.ion Around Nova Persei. — 

 A considerable advance in the knowledge of the surroundings 

 of Nova Persei has resulted from the examination of photographs 

 obtained by Mr. G. W. Rilchey with the 24-inch reflector of the 

 N'erkes Observatory. A reproduction of one of these photo- 

 graphs is given in the Aslropliysical Journal (\o\. xiv. pp. 167- 

 168) in illustration of a short description of the appearances 

 found on examining the negative. This photograph was ob- 

 tained on the night of September 20, 1901, on a Cramer 

 " Crown " plate of specially high sensitiveness, with an exposure 

 of 3h. 50m. 



The first glance at the photograph shows that the false 

 penumbra which has been recorded with refracting tele- 

 scopes is entirely absent. The image of the Nova is some 20" 

 in diameter on .account of the long exposure, but there is little 

 or no halo of nebulosity immediately about it. Completely 

 surrounding the star, however, is a large elliptical belt of 

 nebulosity some 20' of arc in diameter, with patches of varying 

 density, the most intense being on the southern half of the ring. 

 These latter are probably identical with the four principal 

 condensations mentioned by Prof. Perrine, the photographs of 

 which with the Crossley reflector of the Lick Observatory 

 show evidence of motion of these constituent portions of the 

 nebula. As much of the finer detail is necessarily lost in repro- 

 duction, a drawing is appended showing the structure to be seen 

 on the original negative. This shows the nebula to have a very 

 complex structure, and the question as to whether it is spiral or 

 consists of several annuli with interlacing branches cannot yet 

 be decided. An exceedingly suggestive feature is the existence 

 of two moderately dense wisps of nebulosity, extending from 

 the Nova towards the west, which then curve towards the north 

 and merge into the main convolutions of the nebula. A later 

 circular just received from Kiel contains the important announce- 

 ments that : — 



November 12. — Ritchey states that a photograph obtained at 

 the Verkes Observatory on November 9 confirms the large 

 motion of the nebula near the Nova. 



November 13. — Ritchey finds the nebula surrounding the 

 Nova probably expanding in all directions. 



Proi'Er Motion of Nova Persei.— Herr Osten Berg- 

 strand, of Upsala, has computed a preliminary value of the 

 proper motion of Nova Persei from measures obtained from 

 photographs with the astrophotographic refractor at Upsala 

 Observatory. The plates were taken on 1901 March i, 11, and 

 September I, 11. The probable yearly proper motion is 



in R.A. = fi. = - OS. -05 

 ,, Deck = / = - o"7. 



The deduced mean position of the Nova is given as 



R.A. = -jh. 24m. 28m6s. I ,i^ u > 



Ded. = +43°33'54"oj(EP°^'^'90.-4.) 



New Variable Stars. — 91 (1901) Velorurn. Mr. A. W. 

 Roberts announces the variability of the star having the position 



)ecl.= -4i- 43'-8 /l'*75;- 



R.A 

 Decl 



The changes observed indicate that the star is of the Algol 

 type, with the following elements : — 



\'ariation in brightness = I0*0-I0'9 magnitude. 

 Period... = id. 20h. 30m. 2s. 



92(1901) Coronae Aiistralis. The same observer also records 

 as variable the star having the following position 

 h. m. s. 

 R.A. = 18 32 4S\/,87c> 

 Decl. = -37° 35'-8 /'"^^S)- 

 Variation in brightness = 8'0-9'0 magnitude. 

 Period... = about 1 85 days. 



