several observers make it improbable that the velocity of ±okm is in error as much as 5km. We have also taken every means at hand to assure ourselves that this plate is not that of some other star.

January 25, 1906.

J. H. MOORE.

The binary character of λ Hydra was suspected by Mr. W. H. WRIGHT from observations of its radial velocity in 1898, 1899, and 1900, and confirmed by the recent measures of Mr. K. BURNS.

The following is a list of good plates, and their measures obtained with the Mills spectrograph:—

Unfortunately the plates are not distributed in such a man

ner as to give a good determination of the period. January 25, 1906.

J. H. MOORE.

ECLIPSES OF SATELLITES OF JUPITER.

The following eclipse phenomena of Jupiter's satellites were observed here with the 12-inch refractor and its 3-inch finder. The powers used were: 12-inch, 155, except in cases indicated

in column "Remarks"; 3-inch, 18.5. Dr. AITKEN kindly
secured the observations of December 22d and 29th in my
absence. The times recorded are the latest or earliest moment
at which the satellite was certainly seen. Very few eclipse
disappearances and reappearances of Satellite I, observable at
Mt. Hamilton since 1905, October 15th, were missed.

Finder, glimpsed at 498 ?

Poor conditions. 12", glimpsed at 39? 12", power 64.

Seeing poor. Finder time late? 12" slightly

out of focus.

Seeing poor. I not seen in finder, though observation started at 20:41.7. Ec. Dis. close to disk of planet.

High N.W. wind, but seeing fair. Driving clock stopped. I not seen in finder. Observation started at 15:10.5. Ec. Dis. close to disk.

Seeing fair till 9:42:24 when door was opened and seeing became extremely poor. Would probably have been seen 38 longer. Observation began at about 9:36. I not seen in finder, though at about 9:38, 0.8 of Jupiter's disk was occulted by cross-wires. Ec. Dis. very close to disk.

8 18 41 Seeing very poor after storm. Observation

difficult.

15 41 31 Seeing fairly good. 12", time probably 28 or 3 late.

IO 10 18 Finder, 18? Seeing variable. Air steady at 18? Easily seen at 428.

14 02 16

Observer. R. G. A. Poor seeing.
Observer, R. G. A.

NOVA AQUILE No. 2.

A single magnitude observation of Nova Aquile, made December 16th, completes my series for 1905. (See these Publications, October and December.) Further measures cannot be made here till the latter part of February.

The estimates were made with the 12-inch, power 155, by the Argelander method, at a large hour-angle (5.1) under poor atmospheric conditions. Four photometric settings on the star f, with the 12-inch, November 25th, gave for its magnitude 13.46.

G. M. T., 1905.

Estimates.

Nova.

Dec. 16.60 e 5-6 x 3 Nova 12 f; d8e8 Nova 12.1
The value of a step from this observation is om.085.
January 25, 1906.
JAMES D. MADDRILL.

RAINFALL AT MT. HAMILTON.

Until the 9th of January the season beginning 1905, July, threatened to be a dry one. From January 11th to 19th, however, almost continuous rain brought the season record up from 4.93 inches to 17.23 inches. The heaviest fall

In one hour was 0.77in, from 12:40 to 1:40 P. M.,
January 12th.

In 24 consecutive hours was 3.86in, from 3 P. M.,
January 11th, to 3 P. M., January 12th.

Of the latter 3.39 inches fell in the last 12 hours. The next day the fall

In 24 consecutive hours was 3.83in, from 6 A. M.,

January 13th, to 6 A. M., January 14th.

Of this 3.61 inches fell in 12 hours, from 7 A. M. to 7 P. M.

The twenty-five-year summary at the conclusion of this article shows that about 14.5 inches are to be expected by January 19th; hence we are about 2.7 inches ahead of the normal season.

A table of the rainfall by months for the first twelve years, 1880, July 1892, June, was compiled by Mr. PERRINE in 1893 and published in these Publications (Vol. V, p. 126). The following table is a continuation to 1905, June; and a summary

in the last two columns based on all the rainfall data for the

BURNHAM has called 95 Ceti (= ALVAN CLARK 2) "the most mysterious and strange double star in the heavens. I have tried it," he says, "first and last, perhaps hundreds of times with apertures all the way from 6 to 36 inches without

being able to see any trace of the little star." He did, however, measure it on two nights in 1888.

My own experience confirms BURNHAM's estimate of the mysterious nature of this system, and it is one object of the present note to add another chapter to its history. My second object is to show that this star is not in a class by itself by giving some observations of three other stars, two, at least, of which present very similar difficulties to those encountered in the attempt to harmonize the observations of 95 Ceti.

These three stars are 80 Tauri (554), Draconis 205 (= ẞ971), and ß 163 (Ll.41386); and my recent measures of them and of 95 Ceti are:

Date.

95 Ceti.

Angle. Distance. Magnitudes.

Telescope.

1898.15 136°.7 o".51 6-9 2n 12-inch and 36-inch 1900 and 1901. Companion not seen on four nights with the 36-inch telescope, the seeing being very good.

1904.93. Companion invisible with 36-inch telescope. Seeing good. 2".

1906.014

166°.6 o".48 6-9+ In 36-inch

Σ 554.

1904.9. Star round on many nights and no companion seen with 36-inch. Special pains taken because of Professor HUSSEY'S discovery of a difficult pair near by (See Hu. 1080). Professor HUSSEY, too, could see no companion to Σ 554. 1905.994 44 .9

o".57 o .55

6-9 36-inch

Seeing 3

6-9 36-inch

Seeing 4

1902.315

8°.0 29 .3

0 .34

B 971.

6.5-9 36-inch 1 Seeing 3

6.0 9.5 36-inch 1 Seeing 2+

1904.441 Star single. Powers to 1500 on 36-inch. Several

good nights.

1905.288 36.6

O .37 6-9 36-inch Seeing 2+ 1905.458 to 1905.751. Star single on four good nights. 36-inch.

1 Professor HUSSEY also found this stat single in 1904 with the 36-inch telescope.