Oct. 1, 1885 | 
quent want of sharpness on one side, but the definition in the 
centre of the field is not injured. 
To give some idea of the stars that can be seen and the value 
that may be given to photographic evidence of the existence or 
non-existence of faint stars, I give some particulars of this photo- 
graph. Without a magnifier 124 stars are to be seen within a 
radius of twenty minutes of arc from the nucleus. 
I have traced these (see Fig. 1) so that they can be identified 
in the telescope ; some of them may not be less than 13th magni- 
tude, possibly fainter ; the bright stars marked B, c, D, and & being 
shown in Argelander’s maps of the Northern Heavens. 8B and C 
are at the present time about the same brightness as the new 
star, and can be well used to watch any variation in its light 
(when first seen by me on September 3 the new star was very 
much brighter than B or Cc, almost as bright as a star I have 
called A in my note-book that is just beyond the smaller nebula). 
Using a magnifier to detect any fainter stars I find six near 
the nucleus : these I have shown as black dots on Fig. 2, using a 
Fie. 2. 
Scale 074 inch = 100”. 
circle to show the stars near the nucleus that appear on Fig. 1, 
and a cross ( x) to indicate the place of the new star. At this 
particular place there is not the slightest indication of any differ- 
ence in the regular shading of the deposited silver from the 
denser part of the nucleus to the faint edge. The six stars indi- 
cated are extremely faint in the photograph and difficult to 
see, but I have no doubt of their real existence ; from a com- 
parison with other photographs I estimate them of about 15th 
magnitude, perhaps fainter. It may be that some of these may 
be identified at Birr Castle. From the absence of scale and 
orientation of the sketch given by Lord Rosse on p. 465 com- 
parisons cannot be made, but a reference to the note-books 
would enable this to be done. A. A, ComMMON 
DurineG last week I examined on three evenings the spec- 
trum of this star apparently in the nebula. It appears to be 
continuous, extending from about D, as far as, or perhaps a 
little past F. Both Mr. Perey Smith and I are able to confirm 
Lord Rosse’s conviction of the existence of a bright line or band. 
We compared its position with spark spectra, and feel satisfied 
that its position is not far from the bright line of the spark in 
air near to, and on the more refrangible side of D. The slit 
was of course necessarily wide, and the spectrum faint, so that 
this must only be considered as approximate. 
Gro. M. SEABROKE 
Temple Observatory, Rugby, September 29 
In the first evenings of September I observed the new 
nucleus of the nebula in Andromeda: I find it of the 8th 
magnitude. With a little Maclean’s star spectroscope applied to 
the ro-inch refractor the spectrum of the nucleus is continuous, 
with suspected brighter bands. On the nights of Sept. 14 to 16, 
with 340 and 470 enlargements, | found to the east of the nucleus, 
and 15” to 18” distant from it, a faint object, probably a second 
nucleus, of 12th to 13th magnitudes. A. Ricco 
Palermo Observatory 
The Proposed Change in the Astronomical Day 
In your account of the proceedings at the recent meeting of 
the Astronomische Gesellschaft at Geneva (NATURE, vol. xxxii. 
p. 517) Dr. Struve is reported to have stated ‘‘that in the 
NAL RE 
523 
Royal Astronomical Society the majority were in favour of the 
universal day.” There appears to be some mistake here: the 
Royal Astronomical Society as a body has not expressed any 
opinion on the subject. And, judging from the individual ex- 
pressions of opinion which have been published, I should 
imagine that here, as at Geneva, the majority of real workers in 
our science (with the probable exception of those engaged on 
solar work) would be opposed to the proposed change. But 
how the majority of the Fellows of the Royal Astronomical 
Society could vote on the question it is impossible to say. My 
desire that a wrong impression on this subject, arising from a 
statement reported to have been made by such a high authority 
as Dr. Struye, should not be spread abroad, must be my excuse 
for trespassing thus far on your space. 
A. M. D. DownIneG 
Royal Observatory, Greenwich, S.E., September 26 
A Tertiary Rainbow 
Pror. Tarr remarks, in his recently-published work on 
“Light,” that rainbows due to three or more internal reflections 
““are too feeble to be observed.’’ It may therefore be worth 
recording that a tertiary bow was clearly visible from Thandiani 
Hill, Punjab, one evening last week (August 17). The bow 
extended over an are greater than a semicircle, but was broken 
in two places. The colours were as distinct as in many an 
ordinary bow. 
The condition of the sky was specially favourable for seeing a 
tertiary bow. The sun was low, and on nearly the same level 
with it there were several horizontal layers of cloud of consider- 
able extent, whose nearer, unilluminated sides were therefore 
dark enough to serve as a good background for the bow. There 
was also a cloud in front of the sun itself, partially reducing its 
brightness. T. C. LEwis 
August 25 
A White Swallow 
On August 3 I saw a white swallow flying among its fellows 
over a mill-pond at Garioch’s Ford, Auchterless, Aberdeenshire. 
When I repassed on the following day it was still there, and it 
appeared to my brother and to me to be ev¢ively white: other- 
wise I should suggest that the one seen in Westmoreland on 
September 4 (NATURE, No. 830, p. 500) might be the same 
bird on its southward pilgrimage. If it is true that the albino 
bird is never courted or paired (‘‘ Descent of Man,” chap. xiv.) 
we are not likely ever to see many white swallows. 
Mirfield, Yorks, September 28 ALEX. ANDERSON 
THE enclosed paragraph from Yarmouth, in the Vorfolk News 
of this day, will have interest for your correspondent at Milne- 
thorpe. HUBERT AIRY 
Stoke House, Woodbridge, September 26 
Rara Avis.—A cream-coloured specimen of the swallow 
(Hirundo urbica) was shot on Caister Road, on Monday morning 
last, by Mr. A, Patterson. It is now in the hands of Mr. Bb. 
Dye of Row 60 for preservation. 
Durinc the summer of 1883 Mr. Cooper, of Bromwich, 
observed a white swallow throughout the season at a place within 
the city on the banks of the Severn. J. Li. Bozwarp 
Worcester, September 28 
THE ANNUAL CONGRESS OF THE SANITARY 
INSTITUTE OF GREAT BRITAIN 
he subjects dealt with by the Sanitary Institute of 
Great Britain at its annual meetings cover a wide 
field, and the Leicester gathering of this year, under the 
presidency of Prof. de Chaumont, F.R.S., forms no ex- 
ception to the rule. ‘The first aim of the Institute is, 
through its various agencies, to assist and indeed to lead 
in the improvement of public health, and the President 
did well to prove, by mortality statistics, how great a 
saving of life can be effected by the adoption of efficient 
sanitary measures, and how remunerative expenditure in 
this direction proves itself to be. The result of the sani- 
tation carried out in the Army, and which is so much due 
