Feb. 10, 1870] 
NATURE 
391 
tained several interesting diagrams.—Tiie annual statement of 
the observations made on the sun at Kew was then read. It 
appeared from this that sua-spots have scarcely been so nume- 
Tous as was to have been expected so near the epoch of maxi- 
xm spot-frequency. ‘he sun was observed on 95 days during 
the year 1869 ; there were no days when the sun was without 
spots and 224 new groups made their appearance.—Mr. Brown- 
ing then read an account of a new method of measuring the 
Dsition of lines in the spectrum. In this arrangement an illu- 
minated cross is made to travecse the spectrum by turning a 
Micrometer screvr. Mr. Browning mentioned that he had found 
it perfectly impossible, by the ordinary mode of measurement, to 
deal with the faint spectrum of the planet Jupiter. The spectrum 
itself was nearly obliterated and the lines in it were rendered 
altogether invisible. He remarked that though Jupiter is so 
bright, its spectrum is fainter than that of a second magni- 
tude star, even when the latter spectrum is made as wide 
as that of the planet (a peculiarity obviously depending 
on the fact that we us2 bat a portion of a planet's light 
in observing its spectrum, while the linear image of a star 
includes the whole of the star’s light). Mr. Bidder, referring 
to Mr. Browning’s method of bringing the illuminated cross 
upon the spectrum, ‘said that he had often thought Sir W. 
Herschel’s plan of comparing double stars with movable lights 
laced at some distance from the observer might, with modifica- 
ions, be applied to the micrometrical measurement of double 
tars. He described an arrangement he had tried for this 
purpose. Messrs. Huggins and Lockyer mad2 some suggestions 
on the mode of measuring the plan of lines ia the spectrum, 
the former pointing out the necessity of having the cross 
diiferently coloured for measuring lines in different parts of the 
spectrum and showing how this might be done by means of a 
small prism: the latter remarking that some arrangement was 
desirable by which the lantern might be so shifted, while the mi- 
rometer screw was tured, as not to alter the conditions 
under which the spectrum was observed. At the chairman’s 
request, Mr. Lockyer then gave an account of Mr. Newall’s 
great telescope, a Cooke refractor, 25 inches in clear aper- 
ture, remarking that it was a noteworthy circumstance, 
_ that a telescope of this size should have been mounted in the so- 
called German manner ; that is, not on a long polar axis ; but on 
the Fratinhofer stand, familiar to his hearer He said that Mr. 
Newall proposed to devote the powers of this instrument in the 
most generous manner to the interests of science and that when 
it had been erected in a suitable climate, astronomical workers 
would be invited to avail themselves of its powers. The chair- 
man then asked if any information could be given respecting Mr. 
Buckingham’s 21-inch refractor, from whose performance so much 
had been expected. Mr. Buckingham, who was present, said 
that he had only that evening been observing Jupiter with it ; 
and he had to remark, with reference to the ruddy colours of the 
equatorial belt which had recently b2en attracting so much atten- 
tion, that in his powerful instrument he could clearly discern red 
masses resembiing clouds in shape, on a white background. 
One band, in the red part of the spectrum, was at present invisible. 
The chairman invited Mr. Buckingham to make some frequent com- 
munications respeciing the great telescope’s performance. He also 
confirmed the statements made by Mr. Buckingham respecting 
the present aspect of the planet. Colonel Strange then gave a 
raost interesting account of a transit instrument constructed by 
the late Mr. Cooke on the Russian plan (so called) and Mr. 
Carrington mentioned that the instrument should properly be 
called the Harris transit, after a countryman of our own who 
_ devised the method. The instrument, which is intended to be 
used by those engaged in the survey of India, was exhibited at 
the meeting. Instead of the ordinary arrangement, the optical 
axis of the instrument is divided into two halves at right angles 
to each other, one corresponding to the object half of an ordinary 
transit, the other being in the horizontal axis of the instrument ; 
so that the eye-piece is placed at one end of the horizontal axis 
and the observer stands on one side of the instrument. The 
advantages of the arrangements are obvious: the eye is always 
at the same height and the vision always directed horizontally. 
On the other hand, Colonel Strange remarked that he coul!d not 
altogether get rid of his dislike to the plan. He thought all 
who had been engaged in actual observation would agree with him 
that the less the cone of light forming the object-glass was 
tampered with the better. But passing over that and minor objec- 
tions, there remained this important point to be considered. In 
the ordinary arrangement, any disturbance of the collimation, 
whether taking place at the object-end or at the eye-end of the 
instrument, produced effects varying inversely as the distance 
separating the object-glass from the eye-glass. In the new 
arrangement, if the prism by which the rays from the object- 
glass were reflected towards the eye-glass were disturbed, the 
effects would be increased ia precisely the same proportion that 
the distance between the prism and the object-glass is less than 
that between the eye-piece and the object-glass in the ordinary 
arrangement. The answer to this was, that the prism in effect 
never does get disturbed ; but, for his own part, he thought 
this could hardly be looked upon as established. There was 
this further objection (first pointed out by Captain Clarke) to be 
considered, that there was a variation in the collimation—errors 
according to the position of the instrument. An interesting discus- 
sion ensued, during the course of which the possible disturbances 
resulting from the heat, or from the weight of the observer, 
were discussed and the performance of the instrument compared 
with that of such an instrument as Mr. Carrington is about to 
employ, in which tie whole of the telescope’s axis is always 
horizontal. Mr. Stone was then invited to give an account of 
his researches into the heating powers of the stars, which he did 
in a most interesting and lucid manner. The substance of 
his remarks has already appeared in these columns under another 
heading. 
Zoological Society, January 27.—Prof. Newton, V. P., in 
the chair.—A letter was read from Mr.R.B. White, concerning the 
hairy tapir (Zapires roulini) of the Andes of New Granada, of 
which he was endeavouring to obtain specimens for the Society’s 
menagerie.—Dr. Cobbold, F.R.S., exhibited specimens of, and 
made remarks upon, the new entozoon from the Aard-wolf, 
described at the last meeting of the society, and proposed to be 
called Acazthocheilonema dracunculoides.—Myr. G. D. Rowley, 
exhibited and made remarks upon a specimen of the Siberian 
lark (Alaudw sibirica), recently taken at Brighton, and believed 
to be the first example of this species that had occurred in the 
British Islands. He also exhibited some other rare birds from 
the same locality.—Prof. Newton, in exhibiting a specimen of 
the North American Zonotrichia albicollis, shot near Aberdeen, 
and sent to him for that purpose by Mr. W. C. Angus, called 
attention to the injudicious practice of many ornithologists who 
are prone to give the name of ‘British Birds” to all such 
foreign species as occasional stray to this country.—A communi- 
cation was read from Professor Owen, containing a letter 
received from Dr. Haast, F.R.S., on the discovery of 
cooking-pits and kitchen-middens containing remains of various 
species of Dinornis, in the province of Canterbury, New 
Zealand.—Mr. P. L. Sclater read a paper on some new or little- 
known birds from the Rio Parana, collected during the second 
survey of the river by Captain Page, U.S.N. and submitted to 
him for examination by the Smithsonian Institution. — Dr. 
W. Baird communicated a description of a new genus and 
species of shells from Whydah, on the West Coast of Africa, 
proposed to be called Pretoma, together with some remarks on 
the genus Profo of Defrance.—Mr. R. B. Sharpe read a paper 
on the genus Pelargopsis of the family A/cedinide and pointed 
out the geographical distribution of the eight species of this 
genus in the Indian and Australian regions.—Mr. Sharpe also 
exhibited and pointed out the characters of a new species of 
Campephaga from Damara-land, which he proposed to call 
Campephaga Anderssoni, after the late Mr. C. J. Andersson, its 
discoverer.—Dr. J. E. Gray communicated some notes on the 
skulls of the whales of the genus Oyca in the British Museum, 
and a notice of a specimen of the same genus from the Seychelles. 
—A communication was read from Dr. J. C. Cox, containing 
descriptions of seventeen new species of land shells from the 
South Sea Islands. The original specimens were stated to be in 
the cabinet of Mr. John Brazier, of Sydney.x—A communication 
was read from Lieut.-Col. Playfair, containing an account of a 
fresh-water fish recently discovered in the vicinity of Aden, which 
appeared to referable to the widely-distributed Cyprinoid, Dys- 
cognathus lamta.—Drx. J. Murie read a note upon a larval aestrus 
found in the orbit of the hippopotamus, to which was added a 
list of the species of mammals in which cestri-larvee have hitherto 
been found.—Dr. Murie also read a-note on a specimen of the 
so-called Aguila Barthelemyi recently living in the Society’s 
Gardens, which appeared to be nothing more than a variety of 
the Golden eagle Agz:la filva. 
Chemical Society, February 3.—Prof. Williamson, F.R.S., 
President, in the chair, Mr. Chapman/read a note on the 
