KANSAS UNIVERSITY SCIENTIFIC NOTES. 645 
to consideration. From the results attained with an experimental instrument, 
which has been very neatly constructed for me by John Clacey, of this city, I 
feel justified in claiming that in accuracy, efficiency and convenience, this con- 
struction, for moderate-sized instruments, is superior to the transit instrument, 
while it is very much cheaper. The principle involved is the same as that of 
Kater’s floating collimator for determining the zenith point of a graduated circle. 
Beyond this, however, there is no resemblance. 
The following brief description of the instrument may be easily understood, 
by reference to the illustration. It consists of a heavy base, with approximate 
leveling screws at the corners, from the center of which arises an upright cylin- 
drical pillar surmounted by a cap of hard brass, and encircled at the middle and 
base by brass collars. These serve as the bearings for a hollow, brass sleeve, 
fitting closely to the pillar and turning smoothly upon it. This sleeve is provided 
with a cross-head and lateral, diagonal braces which support a shallow trough in 
the form of a hollow rectangle. In this trough is contained mercury to the 
depth of about one-eighth of an inch, upon which swims a float of wood or iron, 
also in the form,of a hollow rectangle, a little smaller than the trough. By 
means of two pins, projecting from the sides of the trough and playing in vertical 
slots in the sides of the float, the latter is kept in place, while it is free to seek its 
equilibrium. From the middle of the inside edges of the float project two bent 
arms of brass, the lower ends of which support the horizontal axis of the tele- 
scope. ‘The axis is provided at one end with a clamp, and at the other end with 
an illuminating contrivance, and the telescope has a reticule of five horizontal 
spider lines. | 
If the telescope is turned on its axis and clamped at any desired altitude, and 
the whole instrument revolved around the upright axis, the sight line will describe 
a small circle in the heavens, parallel to the horizon. It is evident that the 
transit of stars, as they rise or fall over this horizontal circle, may be observed, 
and will furnish the means of finding the clock error, and also the latitude by a 
proper selection of the stars in different azimuths. —Sczence Observer. 
KANSAS UNIVERSITY SCIENTIFIC NOTES. 
Last summer, Prof. Snow, in company with Mr. L. L. Dyche and Miss 
Anna Mozley, spent four or five weeks in Santa Fe cafion, N. M., collecting 
beetles, moths and plants. It was in a country that had never been explored with 
a similar purpose, and a rich harvest was obtained. Several thousand specimens 
were brought home. Of those only the Coleoptera have been examined and 
twelve new species have been found. Of one of these Dr. LeConte, late president 
of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science, writes, that it is ‘‘the 
most extraordinary addition to our fauna that has been made for a long time,”’ 
and the Doctor is usually sparing of adjectives. Speaking of the Colorado expe- 
‘dition two years ago, Prof. A. R. Grote says: ‘‘ Such labors have a permanent 
