806 



SCIENCE. 



[X. S. Vol. XVIII. Xo. 409. 



70. The principal researches carried on 

 are as follows: (1)' Eclipses of Jupiter's 

 satellites; (2) light curves of Algol vari- 

 ables; (3) position and brightness of stars 

 in clusters; (4) observations have been 

 made of the changes in light of nine vari- 

 able stars of long period, during several 

 years before they were discovered; (5) 

 early observations of stars of the Algol 

 type and other variables of short period ; 

 (6) transit photometer; (7) Nova Gemi- 

 norum; (8) variations in brightness of 

 Bros; (9) proper motion of stars; (10) 

 missing asteroids, and (11) many images 

 of interesting objects like new stars, vari- 

 ables and asteroids doubtless appear on the 

 photographs. An examination has accord- 

 ingly been made of several of the plates to 

 determine whether it would be advisable 

 to examine a large number of them sys- 

 tematically for the discovery of such ob- 

 jects. 



Wm. M. Reed, Princeton Observatory, 

 Princeton, N. J. For pay of two assist- 

 ants to observe variaile stars. $1,000. 

 Abstract of Beport.— Owing to-the diffi- 

 culty of obtaining an observer, work was 

 not begun till March 1. During the seven 

 months from March 1 to October 1, the 

 23-inch telescope of the Halsted Observa- 

 tory, exclusively for photometric work, was 

 used on every clear night from early in the 

 evening until daylight. In all 9,015 ob- 

 servations were made on about fifty differ- 

 ent stars. 



Three classes of stars were observed : 



(a) Such variable stars as are too faint 

 to be reached by any except the largest 

 telescopes. In particular, selection was 

 made of stars that have become too faint 

 for the Harvard observers and those co- 

 operating with them. 



(b) Measurement of faint stars that are 

 to be used as standards of magnitude. In 

 this work they are connecting stars of the 

 thirteenth magnitude with those of the 



fifteenth magnitude. The Lick and Yerkes 

 observatories are connecting the fifteenth 

 magnitude stars with the sixteenth magni- 

 tude, and the Harvard Observatory is con- 

 necting the eleventh magnitude with the 

 thirteenth magnitude. 



(c) A special study of the newly dis- 

 covered Algol variable, 4.1903 Draconis, 

 has been made, and a preliminary ai'ticle 

 giving the results of these observations 

 has been sent to the Astronomical Journal. 



Maey W. Whitney, Vassar College, Pough- 

 keepsie, N. Y. For measurement of as- 

 tronomical photographs, etc. $1,000. 

 Abstract of Eepori.— This work consists 

 in the measurement and reduction of stellar 

 photographs taken at the observatory at 

 Helsingfors, Finland, by Professor Donnor. 

 The measurement of the eight plates is 

 finished and the reduction is well along. 

 A preliminary catalogue of the mean places 

 of 404 stars within two degrees of the pole 

 is nearly completed. The Avork was pressed 

 during the last quarter, as Professor ^Aliit- 

 ney then secured the services of an expert 

 computer. The intercomp arisen of the 

 plates and the detennination of proper mo- 

 tion remain to be studied. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY. 



Robert Fletcher, Army Medical Museum, 

 Washington, D. C. For preparing and 

 imblishing the 'Index Aledicus.' $10,000. 

 The 'Index Medicus' was established in 

 1879, under the direction of Dr. John S. 

 Billings and Dr. Robert Fletcher, and dis- 

 continued in 1899, after twenty-one vol- 

 umes had appeared, for the lack of pecu- 

 niary support. 



Abstract of Beport.—llie scjope of this 

 work is very broad with relation to the 

 medical sciences. It contains, in classified 

 form, month by month, reference to every- 

 thing published throughout the world 

 which relates to medicine or public hygiene. 

 The latter comprises all that concerns the 



