350 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



ISTo. 283. Lacaille 3744 Veioeum. — 7 m. Lacaille ; 6 m. Brisbane 

 and Behrmann. The Cordoba estimates vary from 6-2 to 6-8. 



No. 284. 3180 B.A.C. Akg^s. — Bated 6 m. by Argelander and 

 Heis ; but found only 8 or 8|- m. at Cordoba ( U. A. pp. 297-8). 



No. 285. 26 HxDSiE.— 6 m. Argelander; 6-5 Heis; 5m. (Mj) 

 Houzeau (1875-20) ; 5'3 Grould ; 5 m. Franks, " bright yellow, superior 

 to K, March 2, 1878." (Heis rated k, 5 m). In February, 1877, and 

 April 21, 1878, I found 26=27 Hydi'«. It is 5-6 m. in the Gaj^e 

 Catalogue {1879-16). 4-90 H.P. 



JSTo- 286. Lacaille 3833 Pyxldis. — Si- Lacaille ; 6 m. Harding, 

 Brisbane, and Behrmann. The Cordoba estimates fluctuate between 

 6-1 and 6*7. It is 6-7 m. in the Cape Catalogue (1878-27). 



No. 287. a HxDfi^. — 2 m. Ptolemy, Sufi, Argelander, and Heis. 

 2'30 Sir J. Herschel (mean of 15 estimates, varying from 1-75 to 2-58 ; 

 2-1 Gould. Pranks considered it nearer 3 m. than 2-J-, March 2, 1878 

 [private letter). Sufi calls it red. In the Chinese Annals it is called 

 the "Bed Bird." Birmingham calls it "pale yellowish red." GemmiD. 

 observed it to be remarkably bright on May 9, 1883, when he thought it 

 nearly equal to Pollux. He also observed it very bright February 20, 

 1882, and the red colour very conspicuous. Sii' J. Herschel suspected 

 variations, and says {Cape Ohs., p. 349), "At the time I regarded the 

 observations as satisfactory, and the result as sufficiently established ; 

 but the occurrence of a similar phenomenon, with a period nearly 

 identical in the case of a Cassiopeise, the period in both cases being 

 nearly a lunation, inclines me to distrust both conclusions, and to believe 

 that the colour of the stars (in both cases verging to redness) has 

 affected the judgment in the presence of moonlight differently from 

 that of the stars of comparison." Schmidt holds the same opinion; 

 and Dr. Gould remarks, " I suspect that the supposed variability of a 

 Hydrse may be attributed to the influence of its ruddy colour upon the 

 estimates of its brilliancy." 



No. 288. ^ Leonis. — 6 m. Sufi, Ulugh Beigh, and Argelander ; 4 m. 

 Tycho Brahe and Hevelius; 5m. Harding; 5-6 Heis; 5-6 Gould (at 

 Albany, and 5-4 at Cordoba. Sir W. Herschel gives 10,5 (^)-6, The 

 star is marked as 4 m. and " variable " in Dien^s Atlas. 



No. 289. 3245 B.A.C. Ues^ Majoeis = Piazzi 91. — 8 m. in Harding's 

 Atlas. In the notes to the BAC Baily says, " Taylor considers the 

 magnitude of this star to be variable." It lies closely sf 22 (Fl.) U. 

 Majoris. April 2, 1884, I estimated it 8 m., slighly brighter than a 

 small star s f. 



No. 290. N. Veloeum = Lacaille 3910. — S^m. LacaiUe ; 4-3 Behr- 

 mann. Dr. Gould considers it variable from 3-4 to 4-4, with a period 

 of about 4|^ days ; he also suspects variation in colour ( Uranomdria 

 Argentina, p. 276). 



