356 
NATURE 
| August 13, 1885 
In the Fournal des Savans, 1671, the new star is said to have 
followed 8 Cygni on the meridian by 16m. 44s., which would 
give its right ascension in precise agreement with the Greenwich 
observations of the small star No. 1814. 
THE CINCINNATI OBSERVATORY —The eighth part of the 
publications of this Observatory has been circulated, and con- 
tains the observations of comets made in the year 1883. It is 
noteworthy as presenting a pretty complete report on the 
phenomena of Pons’ periodical comet of 1812 at its reappear- 
ance: the features of the tail were particularly studied, and the 
discussion of the observations, based upon the theory of Dr. 
Bredichin, has been found to add confirmation to that theory ; 
they are best satisfied witha value of 1 — y, a little less than 
2°5, corresponding to his second type; and this value nearly 
accords with that inferred by Dr. Bredichin himself in his 
memoir, ‘‘ Les syndynames et les synchrones de la cométe Pons- 
Brooks (1883-84),” from a large number of observations by 
different observers. Thirteen plates form part of this publica- 
tion, affording highly interesting details on the physical aspect 
of the comet from October 30, 1883, to January 26, 1884. The 
drawings were partly made with the 11-inch refractor, and partly 
with the finder of 24 inches aperture, and an opera glass. On 
January 13 the comet was equal in brightness to a Pegasi. 
The Cincinnati Observatory is now under the direction of 
Mr. J. G. Porter. The observations contained in the publica- 
tion last issued were made by Mr. H. C. Wilson while in 
temporary charge. 
TEMPEL’s CoMET, 1867 II.—Dr. Schur searched for this 
comet unsuccessfully with the great refractor at Strassburg on 
many evenings in March and April: M. Gautier’s calculations 
showed that the chance of observing the comet at this return to 
perihelion was but small. The next return, in the spring of 
1892, will take place under much more advantageous conditions. 
ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA FOR THE 
WEEK, 1885, AUGUST 16-22 
(For the reckoning of time the civil day, commencing at 
Greenwich mean midnight, counting the hours on to 24, is here 
employed. ) 
At Greenwich on August 16 
Sun rises, 4h. 49m. ; souths, 12h. 4m. 1'os.; sets, Tgh. 19m. ; 
decl. on meridian, 13° 37’ N.: Sidereal Time at Sunset, 
17h. Im. 
Moon (at First Quarter on August 17) rises, 12h. 3m. ; souths, 
17h. 1om. ; sets, 22h. rom. ; decl. on meridian, 12° 21’ S. 
Planet Rises Souths Sets Decl. on meridian 
h. m. h. m. h. m. Ar. 
Mercury ... 7 18 13 30 19 42 rT 32:N: 
Venus 7 24 13 50 20 16 4 25N. 
Mars oO 46 9 4 17 22 23 38 N. 
Jupiter 6 27 Teier2 19 57 8 15 N. 
Saturn oO 32 8 Ale. 10450 22 28N. 
Occultations of Stars by the Moon 
Corresponding 
August Star Mag. Disap. Reap. englcs a 
inverted image 
h. m. h. m. ° a 
20)... BoA:G: 6287 .-. 6 23°30 =-<: (0) 95 a.emkOs 272 
oh ees B.A.C. 6292 ... 6 OVS 2. Ts ews, 328 
22\.. pp Sagittarli 1. 4 9.1. © 35 .<. 1 30) emai, 20% 
* Occurs on the following day. 
The Occultations of Stars aresuchas re ibleat reenwich. 
August h. 
19 II Mercury stationary. 
GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES 
THE Dutch journals contain an account of the Dutchscientific 
expedition, in March and April last, to examine the upper course 
of the Surinam River. The members are well satisfied with the 
result. Their success was due in great part to the rainy season 
not setting in till towards the end of the journey. They were 
thus enabled to examine the rocks along the course, which in 
periods of high water are hidden from view. Their first station 
was Phaedra on the left bank of the Surinam ; the next the Tafra 
Rocks which lie in the middle of the stream. Here they were 
forced to leave their steamer and continue in a fishing-boat. 
| neology and neography. 
At Bergendal they took the height of the neighbouring Blue 
Mountain, which they ascended, and from which they had a 
view of the various mountain chains of Surinam. In general 
the mountains of this region are covered with trees, but the 
Blue Mountain is quite bare. Near the mouth of the Sara 
creek the travellers first met some villages of the bush negroes. 
At Toledo, a negro village, they came to the end of their 
forward journey. On the return they visited gold fields near 
Broko Pondo, where they made themselves acquainted with the 
native methods of washing the gold. From a geological point 
of view the expedition was fortunate ; but the rapid travelling 
and short stoppages prevented much being done by the zoologist. 
Professor Martin has made a collection of the rocks in various 
parts of the Surinam. 
WRITING from Ciudad-Bolivar in May, M. Chaffanjon 
continues his report to the Paris Grographical Society (the first 
party which we have already referred to) on his exploration of 
the Orinoco. Since the date of his last letter he made a journey 
with two Indians of the Arigua tribe up the Caura River to its 
source. He passed freely through the territory of various tribes, 
such as the Arebatos, Panares, and others who are notorious for 
their cruelty, and he obtained from their chiefs a mass of curious 
information respecting their manners and religious beliefs. In 
an endeavour to obtained a complete skeleton, he was surprised 
by a band of Indians, who attacked himself and his followers. 
He escaped with great difficulty, and accompanied only by one 
of his guides reached the Caura, and continued his journey, in 
which he was much impeded by the rains. He was also able to 
visit and study the Yaruros and Mapayes tribes. 
THE last Aulletin of the Royal Geographical Society of 
Belgium (1885, No. 3) contains a paper by the secretary on the 
Congo question, describing the explorations made in the basin 
between 1485 and 1877, the formation of the International Asso- 
ciation, the creation of the Free State, and finally a description 
of the basin. M. Lancaster continues his notes on four months’ 
journeyings in Texas, and M. Fontaine contributes a general 
paper on the geography, productions, trade, &c., of Dutch 
Guiana. 
Dr. Haacke and Dr. Bernays are zoologist and surgeon 
respectively to the Australian expedition to New Guinea, to 
which we have already referred. ‘The main objects of the expe- 
dition are stated to be to ascertain and fix the geographical 
features of New Guinea, and the nature of its fauna, flora, 
geology, and climate. It has been decided to make if possible 
the Aird river the base of operations. 
At a late meeting of the Geographical Society of Rio de 
Janeiro M. Alcenar CEraripe read a paper on geographical 
He referred to the necessity of intro- 
ducing into geography reforms consisting mainly of the creation 
of new names and of uniform orthography. His remarks, 
though of universal application, had especial reference to Brazil. 
He concluded by suggesting the appointment of a commission 
to examine the following questions :—(1) Should there be a 
geographical neology for Brazil—that is to say, a nomenclature 
for places in the empire in which the repetition of the same 
name for different places would be avoided by substituting other 
names? (2) Should there be a geographical neography, or cor- 
rection of the orthography of geographical names in such a way 
that the spelling would in all cases be uniform ? (3) Assuming 
these two questions to be answered in the affirmative, how 
would these reforms be best carried out? The questions were 
referred to a commission for its report. 
THE current number of Petermann's Mitthetlungen contains a 
project for a new political map of Africa, with some observa- 
tions on the principles of political geography, by Prof. Ratzel. 
This is accompanied by a double map of Africa. In one part 
the continent is coloured according to the prevailing occupations 
of the population—agriculture, agriculture with cattle-breeding, 
pastoral, and the chase; in the second it is coloured according 
to the people who form states—e.g. Arabs, independent Negroes, 
Zulus, &c. Dr. Stange writes on the orometry of the Thiiringer 
Wald. The most important paper in the number is that by Dr. 
Radde, entitled ‘‘ A Physico-Geographical Sketch of Talysch 
in the North-Western Elburz,”’ which was originally written for 
an entomological work being brought out by the Grand Duke 
Nicholas. 
THE last number of the A/ittherlungen of the Geographical 
Society of Vienna contains a statement by Dr. Le Monnier with 
