1867.] Astronomy. 85 



frequently contains lead and zinc in considerable quantities. Besides 

 these characteristics, we may mention that silver was used for orna- 

 ments, and that inscriptions of the Iron age have been discovered 

 in more than one locality. 



The foregoing is a mere outline, more or less indefinite, of the 

 characteristics of these four epochs, as described by Sir John 

 Lubbock; we have already filled in some of the details for the 

 earlier ages in noticing the works of Messrs. Christy and Lartet, 

 and of Dr. Keller ; but with respect to the later periods, we hope 

 to have an apportunity of saying something more on a future 

 occasion. 



3. ASTKONOMY. 



{Including the Proceedings of the Royal Astronomical Society.) 



Since our last Chronicle was in type, we have heard, with regret, 

 of the death of Hermann Goldschmidt, the astronomer. The loss 

 to science is a serious one. Originally intended to succeed his 

 father as a merchant, Groldschmidt at the age of thirty commenced 

 the study of painting. He pursued this art successfully for fifteen 

 years, and was already forty-five years old when he turned his 

 attention to astronomical observation. He devoted himself with 

 such success to this new pursuit, that in the course of nine years 

 he added thirteen new asteroids to the solar system, discovered 

 many variable stars, and determined the places of 3,000 stars not 

 marked in the charts published by the Academy of Berlin. It 

 is to be noted, for the encouragement of amateurs, that the instru- 

 ments used by Groldschmidt in effecting this important series of 

 labours were of very moderate dimensions. We believe his most 

 powerful instrument was a five-foot achromatic mounted on a 

 movable tripod stand. 



The Padre Secchi at Kome has attacked the spectrum-analysis 

 of stars with considerable success. Before presenting the results 

 attained by him, however- we must premise that interesting as they 

 are, the method of observation does not seem comparable for 

 accuracy to that pursued by Mr. Huggins and Professor Miller. 



The spectrometer used by Secchi consists of a cylindrical lens 

 (focal length, three inches) placed in front of and near the eye-piece. 

 Beyond the lens is placed a prism of Amici, in which the deviation 

 is nil. He recommends this arrangement as powerful, and also as 

 cheaply applicable to amateurs' telescopes. 



Secchi applies the following method of comparison: — the 

 spectrometer being so placed that the lines in the spectrum are 

 parallel to the celestial equator (that is, to the direction of the star's 

 apparent motion) a known or comparison-star is brought on to one 



