462 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 
that the meteorites have had a quasi-volcanic origin on some 
celestial body, Dr. Ball is led to agree with those who believe 
this body to be the earth. 
It is interesting to compare this result with the recent re- 
searches on the structure of meteorites by M. Meunier, who finds 
that the analogy between these bodies and the lower strata of 
our globe, which Danbrée already had pointed out, is not con- 
fined to mineralogical constitution, but is extended to the relation 
which these cosmical materials present when compared amongst 
themselves, as is done for the constituent rocks of the earth.* 
10. Fiaed Stars. 
Dr. Auwers has published, for the zone-committee of the 
Astronomische Gesellschaft, an important work, “ Fundamental 
Catalog fiir die Zonen-Beobachtungen am noérdlichen Himmel.” 
(Leipzig, Engelmann, 4to.) This catalogue of 539 stars, on which 
the places of all the stars between —2° and +80° Decl. down to 
the 9th mag. inclusive will depend, is founded on the following 
systems of standard places :—Pulkova, 1845 and 1865; MS. of 
Pulkova Observations, 1869-74; MS. of Bradley’s Stars from 
Greenwich Observations 1836-72 on the system of the first 
7-year Catalogue ; Greenwich 9-year Catalogue ; Harvard College 
Observatory, Vol. X.; Engelmanns Declinations, 1866-70 ; Leiden 
Declinations, 1864-70. 
At the Berlin meeting of the Astronomische Gesellschaft reports 
on the zone-observations were read. These will, as usual, be found 
in Part IV., for 1879, of the Vierteljahrsschrift. The following 
account is taken from proof-sheets kindly communicated by Pro- 
fessor Winnecke :— 
80-75. Kasan. Observations finished, except a few ones in zone 
75-76 yet to be made; reductions far progressed ; printing 
commenced. 
75-70. Dorpat. Only 920 observations yet to be made ; more than 
half the reductions to 1875-0 finished. 
70-65. Christiania. Zones finished ; about 90 per cent. reduced. 
65-55. Gotha (formerly Helsingfors). Zones finished ; reductions far 
advanced. 
55-50. Cambridge, U.S. Observations finished ; reductions progress- 
ing well. 
* N. XIX., 409. For these researches M. Meunier received the Lalande prize in 1879. 
