Mr. Pogson on the Madras Celestial Survey. 85 



The alphabetical catalogue of Mr. T. S. Kondasvami 

 Ayyar likewise calls for a few remarks. It has been made 

 up apparently with the help of Mr. Taylors catalogue and 

 consequently shares a great many of its faults and deficien- 

 cies, such as wrong titles, double titles for the same work, ect. 

 It is likewise not free from mis-spellings and ungrammatical 

 forms, though on the whole it contracts favourably in this 

 respect with Mr. Taylor's work. Its worst fault is, that it 

 systematically departs from the principle of alphabetical ar- 

 rangement, if one volume includes more than one work* 

 W e should advise Mr. Kondasvami Ayyar to alter this in the 

 following volumes, otherwise his work w ill be of little value, 



G. BuHLER. 



September 1863. 



On the Madras Survey of the Southern Heavens, by N. R. 

 Pogson, Esq., f. r. a. s., Government Astronomer, 



A complete survey of the heavens, shewing in clear and 

 well-arranged maps, every star visible at the date of 

 their construction down to a faint order of brilliancy, hap, 

 in all ages been an evident and pressing want, but one 

 which, until within the last few years no astronomer ever 

 attempted to supply. By some it may have been deemed a 

 piece of drudgery unworthy of their higher capabilities, 

 while others, less ambitious and therefore better fitted for 

 so vast an undertaking have held back, probably overawed 

 by the very extent of the task before them. Its import- 

 ance cannot however be overrated, and its accomplishment 

 will do more to facilitate the labours of future observers 



