142 



SCIENCE 



[Vol. VI., No. 133. 



present arrangements, is impracticable, as no 

 volume of proceedings has been issued in 

 recent 3^ears under ten or eleven months. 

 This 3'ear it is twelve. Let such papers then 

 be printed in quarto form under the title of 

 ' memoirs ' (a series already commenced) , and 

 issued one b}' one as fast as printed : even with 

 this elimination and restriction, the volume, 

 with the growth of the societ}^, will become 

 quite as large as should be issued by the asso- 

 ciation with its limited funds and its liberal 

 rules of distribution. The members would re- 

 ceive an acceptable quid pro quo, containing a 

 fair statement of the work of the association 

 and the industry of its members. Such an 

 action would, as it should, elevate the presi- 

 dential addresses to a higher dignity ; while, 

 more important than all, it would free the asso- 

 ciation from a heavy monetary burden, and 

 enable it, as it otherwise could not, to devote 

 a not unimportant part of its annual receipts 

 to annual subsidies for special research. The 

 association would thus be enabled to take the 

 place that belongs essentially^ to it — of foster- 

 ing ' the advancement of science ' in the most 

 effective manner. 



Another evidence of the necessity of restric- 

 tion, in expenses of astronomical establish- 

 ments, comes from abroad. In his last report. 

 Admiral Mouchez, director of the Paris obser- 

 vator}^, noting the fact that the publication of 

 the Bulletin astronomique entails great outlay 

 of the resources of the observator}^, expresses 

 his apprehension, that, unless the list of sub- 

 scribers to the periodical is largelj- augmented, 

 the journal must soon be discontinued. Bulle- 

 tin astronomique is a monthly of the highest 

 value ; and, although ver}^ j'oung, it would be 

 greatly missed. The first number was that 

 issued for the month of Januar}-, 1884. 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 



*^* Correspondents are requested to be as brief as possible. The 

 writer's name is in all casts required as proof of good faith. 



Meteoric activity, Aug. 10. 



On the lOtli of August last, the date of meteor 

 activity, it was noticed about ten o'clock in the even- 

 ing, that meteors issued very frequently from the 



constellation of Perseus. They increased in number 

 hourly, until about two o'clock in the morning they 

 attained their maximum frequency, which was about 

 one hundred and fifty every hour. After this the 

 number per hour grew less frequently until four 

 o'clock in the morning, when they fell, as in the early 

 evening, about fifty each hour. The majority of me- 

 teors were of the third and fourth magnitude, and 

 from two to three degrees in length. The finest me- 

 teor of the evening issued from the constellation Per- 

 seus, took a north-westerly course, and disappeared 

 behind the horizon. It was of the first magnitude, 

 and silvery in color. The passage of the meteor was 

 marked by a train resembling steam, which did not 

 disappear for over a minute. Many other meteors 

 were observed during' the evening, but all were less 

 brilliant than the one described. Two were seen di- 

 rectly south, and a few south-west; but the majority 

 issued from the constellation of Perseus, 



Darwin Myers. 



Fort Wayne, Ind. 



Color associations with the months. 



Noticing in Science of July 31 a letter on ' color 

 associations with the months,' I would call attention 

 to a geometrical association that I have unconsciously 

 acquired, and that is ever present in my mind when 

 thinking of any date, or period of the year. The 

 curve is represented in the subjoined sketch. The 

 divisions represent months. Several, as you observe, 

 appear longer than others. The plane in which this 

 curve is described appears to me inclined at an angle 

 of about 40° with the vertical. Its longest diameter 

 is perhaps two hundred yards. From day to day I 

 seem to move along this imaginary line to positions 

 corresponding with the date. 



Notable days, as Christmas and Fourth of July, 

 stand out as distinct marks in the cuive. It appears, 

 not as a black line, but as a portion of space only 



defined by marks here and there denoting days on which 

 something occurred that I remember. My supposi- 

 tion as to the origin of this unnatural and rather un- 

 pleasant notion of the months, is, that, when a child 

 at school, the impression made upon my mind by my 

 every-day duties was similar to the emotions one would 

 feel in walking around a curve arranged as this is. 

 Entering school the middle of September, there was, 

 until Christmas time, hard, up-hill work. Then for 

 one week, until Jan. 1, a period of rest, after which 

 things would go easier by my being accustomed to 

 them, and looking forward to the spring. During 

 June the curve begins to bend down; and, through 

 July and August, there is perfect rest, as though one 

 were sliding down with no exertion, until towards 

 September the thought of again assuming the duties 

 of school-life puts a stop to the downward motion, 

 and the curve begins to ascend in September. On 

 this supposition it is hard to explain why July and 



