MARY W. WHITNEY. 255 
has noted that all new stars, whose positions have been 
accurately recorded, have appeared within or near the 
milky way. 
Another theory, kindred to Seeliger’s, has been pro- 
mulgated by Mr. Monck, of Ireland. He suggests that 
the star may be one of those swiftly moving bodies, like 
‘‘therunaway star”’ of Wewcomb’s Popular Astronomy 
‘ (1830 Groombridge), which has come in contact with the 
nebula, and has been set on fire as a meteor is ignited 
in traversing our atmosphere. Prof. Hall calls this 
theory ‘‘ingenious.’’ It appears to regard the nebula 
as gaseous, and that it may be partly gaseous is quite 
generally admitted. If it was a runaway star suddenly 
brought to an enormous illumination by contact with 
the nebula, it would probably have shown some parallax. 
Prof. Hall could find no evidence of change of position, 
at least, none which he regarded as trustworthy. 
Therefore, the classification of the Vova Andromede 
must remain-for the present unsettled. If the new stars 
of the future present spectra rarely failing in bright 
lines, and if the exceptions occur when brilliant bodies 
suddenly blaze out in the midst of resolvable nebule, 
astronomers will have firmer ground for the building up 
of theories. Certainly the data are now insufficient, 
and we can only surmise in regard to this interesting 
development within the great nebula of Andromeda. 
The chairman, Dr. Stevenson, extended to Miss Whit- 
ney the cordial thanks of the Section for her interesting 
and instructive paper, the subject of which was still 
further discussed by Messrs. Warring, Cooley, Bristol, 
- Loomis, Dwight and Stevenson. 
MARCH 28, 1887—FIFTY-FIFTH REGULAR MEETING. 
William G. Stevenson, M. D., chairman, presiding ; 
thirty members and guests present. 
The following paper was read : 
139 
