SErXEMKER 4, 1885.] 



SCIENCE. 



187 



W. Burnhain, who in the autumn of 1879, 

 on the recommendation of Professor Holclen 

 and Professor Newcomb, was invited b}^ the 

 Lick trustees to make a systematic study of 

 the suitableness of the atmospheric conditions 

 for observational research. In October he was 

 joined by Professor Newcomb, who remained 

 for a few days upon the summit, to advise with 

 regard to the proper location of the buildings 

 and instruments. Mr. Burnham devoted two 

 months' time to the measurement of close 

 double stars. During the period, Aug. 17 to 

 Oct. 16 inclusive, he found, — 



Eirst-class nights, 42; medium nights, 7; cloudy 

 and foggy nights, 11. 



The summer of 1881 marked great progress. 

 The transit of Mercury in the latter part of 

 that year was observed with the twelve-inch 

 equatorial and the four-inch meridian transit in- 

 strument in their permanent quarters. Professor 

 Holden and Mr. Burnham securing complete 

 series of satisfactory contact-observations. 

 During the period Oct. 20 to Nov. 9, Professor 

 Holden found fourteen nights which were per- 

 fectly clear, with at least average conditions 

 of vioion ; and one of them was exceptionally 

 fine.-^ 



In the summer of 1882 the results achieved 

 on the mountain were even more important 

 than during the year previous. The construc- 



FiG. 1. — The Lick observatory. Distant view from the north-east. 



There was not in the whole time a single 

 poor night when it was clear. 



In the spring of 1880 Capt. Floyd spent sev- 

 eral weeks in Washington, accompanied by 

 Mr. Fraser, whom the trustees had appointed 

 superintendent of construction of the observa- 

 tory. There they were in daily consultation 

 with Professor Newcomb, Professor Holden, 

 and other astronomers, with regard to the 

 plans of construction on the mountain, and the 

 final instrumental equipment of the institution. 

 Under their direction, the architect's plans for 

 the main building were prepared at this time, 

 and the work of construction was at once 

 begun. 



tion of the main building was rapidl}' carried 

 forward, and the problem of water-supply for 

 all future purposes was shown to be effectively 

 solved. Springs of excellent water had been 

 discovered about four hundred feet below the 

 summit, and a reservoir large enough to hold 

 eighty-five thousand gallons was built on the 

 apex of the middle peak. A jeav later, the 

 trustees took the additional precaution of pro- 

 viding a second reservoir of nearh' sevent}' 

 thousand gallons capacit}', in which the rains 

 are collected from the slate roofs on Observa- 



1 It is to be remembered that this was at the season of the 

 year when the change from the summer to the rainy season was 

 impending, and when the inequality of the temperature between 

 the day and the night was sometliing near the maximum. 



