1837.] Observation of the Lunar Spot Aristarchus. 313 



References to Plate 20. 



1. Branch — natural size. 



2. Branchel showing the sessile, cordate, exstipulate leaves and termi- 



nal cluster of flowers. 



3. Stalk and leaf from the lower portion of the branch, showing the 



inferior leaves lanceolate. 



4. Flower with attached leaf and 2 calycine bracts. 



5. Calyx laid open to show the attachment of the stamens and petals, 



the pedicellate free ovary, style, and 2 cleft stigma. The limb 

 of the petals cut off. 



6. Ovary divided vertically, showing the erect placenta and numerous 



ascending ovules. 



7. Capsule burst, valves drawn somewhat aside to the placenta and 



seeds— All more or less magnified. 



IX. — Notice of an Observation of the Lunar Spot Aristarchus. — 

 By T. G. Taylor, Esq. of the Madras Observatory, H. E. I. C, 

 Astronomer, 



" At seven o'clock in the evening of the 1 0th March 1837 I was 

 watching the approach of the Moon's dark border to a star of the 

 9th magnitude, when my attention was arrested by the appearance of 

 a nebulosity, about as bright as a star of the 6th magnitude, situated 

 upon the Moon's disc, at about four minutes from the unenlightened 

 edge ; on referring to a chart of the Moon, the phenomenon evidently 

 proceeded from the spot Aristarchus. 1 have frequently looked for this 

 appearance during the early age of the Moon, but have never before 

 seen any thing to compare with the brilliancy which I on this occa- 

 sion witnessed."— Extract from the Madras Observations. 



The above, it must be acknowledged, offers nothing particularly 

 new ; on the contrary, the appearance of Aristarchus as a luminous 

 mass when the Moon is two or three days old, was noticed at least 

 twenty years ago. This spot has always been distinguished, as 

 being the brightest upon the Moon's surface when subjected to the 

 influence of the sun; and, when not so influenced, it has at times 

 (when the Moon was two or three days old) exhibited a more or 

 less degree of brilliancy. To account for this phenomenon. Captain 



