208 THE OTANDO AND AVONO REGION. Chap. X. 



that mucli surprised me ; the zodiacal light had its 

 counterpart in the east. 



Now I will make a few observations on the 

 twinkling of stars. Some persons have believed 

 that, in our northern latitudes, the stars twinkle 

 more than within tlie tropics. T spent this last 

 summer at Twickenham at Mr. Bishop's observatory, 

 and have watched the scintillation of the stars, and 

 I doubt much if this conclusion is right ; unfortu- 

 nately, I have also lost the notes I had made on this 

 subject. I remember distinctly that one of the stars 

 of the Belt of Orion twinkled until it reached the 

 zenith ; others twinkled to a considerable altitude. 

 There were nights when they seemed to twinkle 

 more than at other times. 



While watching the stars, in the southern heavens, 

 it appeared to me that a Centauri was changing to 

 a ruddy colour. It was certainly not so white as j3 

 Centauri, and often, through a light mist so common 

 there, I could recognise it through its reddishness. 

 I should say, that it was only with the naked eye 

 that these observations were made. 



The most southern star of the constellation of the 

 Ship (e Argus), distant from Canopus about 17° 43', 

 was quite red to the eyes. 



In regard to the April shower of meteors, I only 

 saw them few in number ; there was nothing to com- 

 pare with the number of those I observed this year 

 at Twickenham, in company with the distinguished 

 astronomer, Mr. Hind ; but many were far brighter. 

 Almost every night, while observing at Mayolo, I 

 could see brilliant meteors, many of which seemed to 



