SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
81 
only 8 //f 917. This difference of 0"'l20 is too large. The chief objection to 
this process is great liability to systematic error, not only from personality, 
but unless great care be taken, from errors in the correction for refraction, 
as well as in the assumed variation of the tabular error in declination. In the 
absence of any details it is impossible to say how far the result obtained by 
Mr. Downing may be affected by systematic errors of this nature. 
The November Meteors . — In this year, as in the preceding years, the 
number of meteors belonging to the great system of Leonids , which have 
been observed, have been very few. The meteor-shower of November 12- 
14, is now reduced to the merest phantom of the great showers of the year 
1866 and immediately succeeding years. At the Royal Observatory, Green- 
wich, the observation lasted for about four hours on each of the nights 
November 12, 13, 14, the circumstances being very favourable, the night 
being clear and there being no moon. The number of meteors seen were 
only 13, 19, and 32, on each night respectively, and of these only 6, 9, and 
18, respectively belonged to the great system radiating from the constellation 
Leo. On November 12 and 13 watch was also kept by Mr. Corder, at 
Writtle, near Chelmsford ; but only a very few Leonids were observed. 
Mr. W. F. Denning, of Bristol, also kept a close watch, with a similar result. 
On the 13th he observed a short, but very decided outburst of fine Leonids ; 
but it soon died away. This short shower consisted of eighteen fine meteors, 
swift, but some leaving vivid bright trains. At Bedford Mr. T. P. Gray 
kept watch with a very similar result. We shall have to wait probably for 
years for another great display of these meteors. 
Jupiter . — During the past summer great interest has been manifested in 
observation of the planet Jupiter , mainly on account of the presence on the 
southern bright zone of a long, narrow, elliptical spot, of a dark reddish 
colour. This spot seems to have first attracted general notice in the early 
part of the summer of 1879, though there is some reason to believe that 
it was visible as a very faint object in the preceding year. During the early 
part of the year the spot seems to have been lighter in colour than the great 
equatorial belt, which was brownish-red in hue. According to the measures 
of Messrs. Gledhill and Neisten, the spot was in south latitude 20° (Jovian), 
and in length covered about 33° of Jovian longitude. Its breadth was about 
6° of Jovian latitude. Later on both the red spot and the great equatorial 
belt appreciably deepened in tint, and the elliptical spot is generally described 
by observers as being of the same hue as the equatorial belt, only more in- 
tense. During November it appeared to have slightly decreased in size, and 
to have moved a little nearer the equator. M. Neisten, of the Royal 
Observatory of Brussels, who has carefully watched the spot since June 25, 
1879, is of opinion that it is surrounded by a bright elliptical ring, a ring 
brilliant white in hue, and much whiter than the bright zone on which the 
j spot is situated. Other observers have seen a similar appearance. Mr. John 
I Brett is of opinion that this bright ring is probably merely due to the effect 
of contrast. The Rev. T. W. Webb has noticed of late a haziness in the 
appearance of this spot, and describes it as only a little redder than the cin- 
namon-coloured equatorial belt. He describes the spot as having somewhat 
the appearance of two tufts of reddish wool touching each other. From 
comparisons which have been made, the conclusion has been drawn that this 
NEW SERIES, YOL. IY. NO. XIII. G 
