SCIENCE. 
331 
To the Editor of “ SCIENCE.” 
In view of Mr. A. N. Skinner’s criticism of my at- 
tempted correction of certain dates of Prof. Watson’s 
discoveries as given in “ SCIENCE,” p. 283, it seems per- 
haps due to all concerned to state how my note, p. 305, 
originated. Having occasion to learn the full extent of 
Prof. Watson’s discoveries, I noticed that those of the 
dates given on p. 283 did not correspond with dates in 
Prof. Watson’s own announcements of discoveries bear- 
ing the same serial numbers ; and that Prof. Watson 
made no corrections of these announcements in the Jour- 
nal which contains them. As the list, p. 283, was “ com- 
piled by the aid of the list of Minor Planets published by 
Mr. A. N. Skinner,” in Am. four. Set. III., xviii, and 
Mr. Skinner’s list gives no dates, the inference was un- 
avoidable that the dates were supplied by the compiler. 
Assuming this to be the editor, 1 noted down the discrep- 
ancies observed, sent the memorandum to the editor for 
his private use, and proceeded wiih my business. Had 
I been led to infer that the dates had been communica- 
ted from Washington, I should have exercised more cau- 
tion. In any event, my memorandum was intended 
simply as a suggestion to the editor to re-examine the re- 
cords ; and it did not contain any reference to “ your cor- 
respondent.” Still more unfortunately, after deciding to 
publish my note, a change was made from “ Aug. 16 ” 
to “ Aug. 14,” and this typographical error is one of the 
wrong dates which attracts Mr. Skinrer’s attention. 
These misunderstandings have arisen from using my 
memorandum more conspicuously, than was intended ; 
and yet as it was not marked “private” or “personal,” 
it cannot be insinuated that such use was unwarranted. 
Alexander Winchell. 
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Dec. 27, 1880. 
[Note. — We would remind Professor Winchell that 
the Astronomical Note whicn he at ributed to the editor 
was signed, and dated from Washington, D. C. As to 
Professor Winchell’s first letter, if it had been addressed 
personally to the editor, he would have been justified in 
us ng some discretion in regard to its publication, hut a 
short note addressed to the “ Editor of Science,” di- 
recting attention to supposed errors in a previous num- 
ber, seemed to demand immediate publication. 
The suppression of the letter might have been inter- 
preted adversely to the spirit in which this Journal is con- 
ducted, and as not conceding that respect for Professor 
Winchell’s communications which is universally accorded 
in all scientific circles. 
We think Professor Winchell has nothing to regret in 
writing the letter in question ; the dates on which Profes- 
sor Watson discovered the planets referred to, had 
clearly been mis-stated in several journals usually credited 
with exactness of statement. Professor Winchell’s com- 
munication has directed attention to this fact, and we 
are glad that the correspondent who favors us with 
astronomical notes has been successful in correcting 
these errors in such a manner, and that their repetition 
is not probable in the future. — Ed.] 
Prof. R. S. Ball, the Astronomer Royal for Ireland, de- 
livered, recently, two lectures on the Life and Woikof Sir 
W. Herschel, under the auspices of the Edinburgh Philo- 
sophical Institution. With the aid of large diagrams and 
the limelight he made his large audience conversant 
with the means adopted by Herschel in making his dis- 
coveries, and thoroughly impressed them with the mag- 
nitude of the labor. Speaking of Herschel’s discovery 
that the sun was rapidly moving towards a point in the 
cons ellation Hercules, Prof. Ball said that at the end of 
the lecture his audience would be 5000 miles nearer to it 
than they were at the beginning. 
THE ROYAL SOCIETY. 
The following is the list of Officers and Council for the 
ensuing year : — 
President — William Spottiswoode, M. A., D. C. L., 
LL. D. 
Treasurer — John Evans, D. C. L., LL.D. 
Secretaries — Professor George Gabriel Stoke, M. A., 
D. C. L., LL.D. ; Professor Thomas Henry Huxley, LL.D. 
Foreign Secretary — Professor Alexander William Wil- 
liamson, Ph. D. 
Other Members of the Council — William Henry Bar- 
low, President, Inst. C. E ; Rev. Professor Thomas 
George Bonney, M. A.. Secretary, G. S. ; George Busk, 
F. L. S. ; Right Hon. Sir Richard Asheton Cross. G. C. 
B. ; Edwin Dunkin, V. P. R. A. S. ; Alexander John 
Ellis, B. A. ; Thomas Archer Hirst, Ph. D. ; William 
Huggins, D. C. L., LL.D. ; Professor John Marshall, F. 
R. C. S. ; Professor Daniel Oliver, F. L. S. ; Professor 
Allied Newton, M. A., President C. P. S. ; Professor 
William Odling, M. B., V.-P. C. S. ; Henry Tibbats 
S'ainton, F. G. S. ; Sir James Paget, Bart.. D. C L. ; 
William Henry Perkin, Secretary C, S. ; Lieut. -Gen. 
Richard Strachey, R. E., C. S. I. 
CHEMICAL NOTES. 
Chemical Constituents of Stereocaulon Vesuvianutn . — 
The question has been raised whether the succinic acid 
obtained from this lichen is a product of the decomposition 
of atranoric acid, which, however, on treatment with baryta, 
furnishes a product totally different. 
Detection of Honey with Starch-Sugar. — A. Planta 
determines the grape-sugar present in honey before and 
after inversion. In pure honey the proportion of pre-ex- 
isting grape-sugar is from 63 to 71, whilst in samples it is 
29 to 37. But the starch-sugars of commerce contain a 
much higher proportion of pure grape-sugar than he as- 
sumes. 
Colorimetric Determination of Chlorine in Potas- 
sium Bromide. — One grm. potassium bromide is ground 
to a powder with an approximately equal quantity of 
potassium bichromate, placed in a flask holding 100 
c.c. and covered with 5 c.c. concentrated sulphuric acid. 
The flask is then connected air-tight, by means of an adap- 
tor ground to fit its mouth, with a receiver containing 100 
c.c. very dilute ammonia (5 or 6 drops of caustic ammonia 
to 100 c.c. of water). A gentle heat is applied and raised to 
about 128% There should be two large bulbs blown on the 
connection tube to prevent the reflux of the liquid. When 
all the chlorine has thus been expelled, the distillate is 
compared with solutions of ammonium chromate of known 
strength prepared for the purpose. C. Roth. 
Simple Method for Determining the Temporary 
Hardness of Water. — The most accurate method is to titrate 
at the boiling point, in a silver capsule with normal hydro- 
chloric acid, using as indicator a solution of alizarin or ex- 
tract of logwood. As a more convenient method when trav- 
elling, &c., A. Wartha uses a tube 30 to 40 c.m. in length, 
closed and rounded at one end, and with a lower mark show 
ing 10 c.c. From this mark, upwards towards the mouth, the 
tube is graduated in o. 1 of a c.c. For use, the tube is filled 
up to the lowest mark with the water in question and a little 
piece of filter-paper is added which has been previously 
saturated with extract of logwood and dried again. This 
gives the water a violet color. Centinormal hydrochloric 
acid is then added from a dropping bottle till the color of 
the liquid approaches an orange. The tube is then closed 
with the thumb and well shaken. Carbonic acid escapes 
and the liquid grows red again. Acid is again added, and 
the tube is again shaken till a single drop of acid changes 
the color of the liquid to a pure lemon yellow. The 
quantity of centinormal acid used is then read off on 
the graduated tube, and can be calculated into calcium 
carbonate. 
