Miscelianeous Intelligence. 821 
that it eee support a column of mercury somewhere between 
2 
jor and ar of an inch high. 
(6.) There is some probability Pe the electric currents whic 
give rise to auroras are propagated in a medium which pervades 
all space, and that the spectrum of the aurora is, in reality, the 
spectrum in that medium. 
(7.) It it not improbable that the tails of all Jarge comets will be 
found to give spectra — to that of the aurora, although addi- 
tional lines m 
The Third Appandia is why Prof. Newcomb, on the right ascen- 
sions of the equatorial fundamental stars. His ol ject is to do for 
the right astensions of the equatorial and zodiacal stars, on which 
the reductions of lunar and planetary observations depend, what 
has been done by Dr. Auwers for the declinations, namely, to fur- 
several catalogues to the mean 8} jaa 
e Fourth Appendix for 1870 contains reductions of zones of 
stars observed with the transit instrument in 1846, ’47, 48, and 
49. The corresponding observations of the zones with the mural 
circle were published as Appendix II. of the volume for 1869. 
The reductions in both cases were made principally by Dr. Gould, 
and the numbers of stars included in the two series are 12,033 
and 14,804 sith: © most of them being between 20° and 45° 
south  declinat i0 
ourth <nnudie for 1871 is a memoir on the ete and 
progres “3 the U.S. N. Observatory, by Prof. J. EK. Nou : 
he course of Admiral Sands in encouraging the protesioed in 
the sbiceriies to ao out in their own name special researches, 
deserves a creditable notice. _N, 
10. Ne a, Spettoscopsoh sul = e gli altri corpi celesti ¢ y by 
P. A. Sxccut.—This a reprint of the ori sea Spectroscopic 
Notices published by the author i B adie times, and in various 
Journals, since the discoveries of Jan and fakes 3 in 1868. 
ll. The Astronomische Ne haan will hereafter be sent from 
Kiel instead of Altona, Communications and subscriptions should 
be addressed to “ Professor C. A. F. Peters, Kiel, Sternwarte.” 
(The subscription price is 33 dollars, gold.) 
IV. MiIsceLLANEOUS ScIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 
é California Academy of Sciences mer — from Mr. 
Pasus Lick, a magnificent aft of a building. the city of 
San Francista valued at about $100,000. by ht terms of the 
pitt it is required that the building to be hereafter erected upon 
It shall cover a space of 80 by 225 feet, be of three pentane | : 
height, built of brick with granite front, and ornamen 
