528 Notices of Books. [October, 
nearly 600 pp.) of letterpress, but a chart which he can hang in 
his observatory. 
With respeCt to the chapter headed Selenographical Formulas, 
the remarks we have made on the first chapter seem entirely 
applicable, with this additional one, that a large proportion of 
the formulas are not selenographical at all, and could have no 
value whatever, except to astronomers specially engaged in 
studying the lunar motions, who already possess these formulas 
in books belonging to their subjedf. 
Mr. Neison’s book, necessarily large from the multitude of 
matters which he has undertaken to deal with in it, is made 
larger by repetitions. For instance, on page 133 a passage is 
repeated which occurs on page 132. 
There is one point not peculiar to this book, though illustrated 
by it, which we should hardly deem important enough to notice 
were it not that it has attradled the attention of Continental 
astronomers, and been made the subjedt of specially unfavourable 
comment in America (in an article in the “ Nation ” for 
November, 1873, attributed, corredtly we believe, to Prof. 
Newcomb, of the Washington Observatory). We refer to the 
nomenclature. When Beer and Madler raised the number of 
names of lunar craters and other features to 427, one-third of 
which they added themselves, it was felt that the thing had been 
a good deal overdone, though the important contributions made 
by Beer and Madler to lunar research prevented astronomers 
from expressing that opinion very strongly. But since Beer and 
Madler’s chart was published a number of new names have quite 
unnecessarily been added by Mr. Birt, and others, in such a way 
as to make the whole system of lunar nomenclature ridiculous. 
It ought to be understood that only such selenographers as 
Schroter, Lohrmann, Beer and Madler, and Schmidt, — men who 
have constructed new and valuable lunar charts, not mere draw- 
ings of small lunar regions, — should venture to add new names 
to lunar maps, even if new names were wanted. As it is, one 
lunar student adds a set of names which he communicates to 
another (whose name is included) ; this one approves of them 
and adds other names, including that of his friendly correspondent. 
Mr. Birt sends his new list of names to Mr. Webb, who adds 
them to his already too lengthy list. Then Mr. Webb’s name 
appears in a new list by Mr. Birt, and so on usque ad nauseam. 
We may be certain that neither American nor Continental astro- 
nomers, nor any English astronomers of repute, will adopt these 
new names,— at least until they have some selenographical con- 
tributions of far more importance from Mr. Birt than mere 
promises and a portfolio of lunar scraps. 
