Decembek 25, 1903.] 



SCIENCE. 



803 



from about 4000 B. C. to about 400 A. D. 

 and will include a study of the mytholog- 

 ical representations and various designs, 

 emblems and inscriptions contained in 

 them. 



Abstract of Report. — Duv'iuff last sum- 

 mer Dr. Ward has visited various museums 

 in the United States and in Europe, where 

 he examined the great collections of Paris 

 and Berlin. Every facility was granted 

 by the authorities in charge, and he made 

 notes and obtained casts of such cylinders 

 and seals as were required for his investi- 

 gations. He is now engaged in the prepar- 

 ation of manuscript and illustrations. It 

 is estimated that it will require about two 

 years to complete the study and prepare 

 the results for publication. 



ASTRONOMY. 



Lewis Boss, Dudley Observatory, Albany, 



X. Y. For astronomical observations 



and computations. $5,000. 



Abstract of Report. — This work has for 

 its idtimate object an investigation upon 

 the motions of the brighter stars (all down 

 to the seventh magnitude), and of all stars, 

 of whatever magnitude, supposed to have 

 motions as great as 10" per century, and of 

 many other stars which were specially well 

 determined prior to 1850. 



During the year Pi-ofessor Boss's atten- 

 tion was given to— 



(a) The compilation for each star of all 

 observations for position that have been 

 made upon it during the history of astron- 

 omy. Some stars are found in more than 

 sixty catalogues. 



(b) Investigation of the systematic 

 errors with which each series of meridian 

 observations seems to be affected, in order 

 that the precision of the results may be 

 notably increased. This involves in the 

 first place the establishment of a standard 

 of reference, which nuist include the posi- 

 tions of all those stars which have been 



most frequently and accurately observed. 



The entire work is proceeding upon a 

 logical plan carefully studied and formu- 

 lated through the results ■ of e.xperience 

 during past years, with a view to economy 

 in the succession of individual investiga- 

 tions designed to contribute to the final 

 result. In an extensive investigation of 

 this kind there is always an element of 

 danger. If the work is so planned that 

 definite results can not be realized until 

 the completion of the whole work, there is 

 liability to serious loss from the ordinary 

 accidents of life which can not be foreseen. 

 Therefore this work has been so planned 

 that useful results can be secured and 

 promptly published at ever}' successive 

 stage of the work. Each step grows log- 

 ically out of those which have preceded it. 

 The computations are so planned that suc- 

 cessive improvements in the fundamental 

 basis can be introduced with the least pos- 

 sible duplication of work. 



It is intended that the catalogue of more 

 than 2,500 standard stars shall be offered 

 for publicaticm to the Carnegie Institution 

 early in 1905, and if no unforeseen acci- 

 dents occur this program should be entirely 

 feasible. 



During the present year the catalogue 

 of G27 standard stars has been passing 

 through the press and is now nearly ready 

 for issue. Subsidiary investigations con- 

 nected with this catalogue have been car- 

 ried out under the grant of the in.stitution 

 for this year. 



Boss, Hale and Campbem,. For investi- 

 gating proposal for a southern and a 

 solar observatory. $5,000. 

 In the Year Book for 1902 a proposition 

 for the establishment of a distinctly .solar 

 observatory was presented by Professor S. 

 P. Langley. In the same report (page 89) 

 the astronomical advisers called attention 

 to the lack of observatories in the southern 

 heniispliere, and in an appendix (pages 99 



