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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
to a plane passing through the axis of the telescope and the axis the finder 
should have, the other giving to the other end the requisite motion, directly 
from or towards the axis of the telescope. 
The Hanets . — The planet Saturn will he very favourably situated for 
observation during the next quarter. The ring is now nearly open to its 
utmost extent, and thus the prospect of interesting observations of the dark 
rings, and of the divisions between the rings, is favourable. It is to be 
noticed, however, that the planet is now in what may be termed the winter 
region of the zodiac, and attains but a small elevation above the horizon 
when on the meridian. Mars is gradually departing from our skies, and has 
already become a much more difficult object for observation than he was a 
few months ago. Towards the end of the quarter Jupiter will be visible 
late at night. Venus will be an evening star. 
A New Theory of the Univei'se. — Mr. Proctor has recently put forward a 
new theory respecting the arrangement of the stars and nebulae. Instead of 
looking upon the nebulae as for the most part external galaxies of stars, he 
considers that they belong to our own sidereal system. He discusses the 
reasons which have been commonly urged for dissociating the nebulae from 
our system, and shows that these reasons afford singular evidence in favour 
of a direct association. He looks upon the stellar system as being far more 
irregular in its disposition than has been hitherto supposed, and instead of 
regarding it as approaching in general to the shape of a cloven disc, he 
regards it as composed of an almost infinite multiplicity of streams, branches, 
and clusters ; here scattered dispersedly, there more or less aggregated at 
one place interlacing, elsewhere “ bristling upwards from the general level ” 
(to use Sir John HerscheTs expression). The Magellanic clouds he looks 
upon as simply globular aggregations of the sidereal and nebular components 
which are elsewhere found apart, but which eveiywhere form but one 
scheme. 
According to these views we see few, if any, external universes, though 
our belief in the existence of multitudes of these is in no way affected. On 
the other hand, our conceptions of the scale on which our own galaxy is 
constructed, of the grandeur of its plan, and of the immense variety in the 
forms of matter which compose it, seem to be considerably enhanced by the 
views now put forth respecting its structure. 
BOTANY. 
A new Fragaria. — Mr. G. W. Clifton, of Buffalo, U.S., gives {Amej'ican 
NaturoHstj June) an account of a new species of strawberry which has been 
brought from Jalapa, Mexico, last autumn. It is known in Michigan as the 
Mexican Ever-bearing Strawberry, and, according to most reliable testi- 
mony, it deserves its name. From early June into October — indeed so long 
as sunlight has strength to ripen berries — it is busy in putting forth fresh 
flowers and maturing fruit. It is hardy and exceedingly prolific. Its fruit 
is large, firm, fragrant, sweet, and exquisitely flavoured. It belongs to that 
section of the genus which bears its achenes, or carpels, superficially on the 
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