purpose, and attended the lectures of KARMARSCH, RÜHLMAN and SCHWARZ. Here he concluded to follow his inclination for the natural sciences, and in the autumn of 1849 entered the University of Marburg, where, after a thorough course in chemistry, he was led by GERLING into astronomical science. In the spring of 1852 he came to Bonn to continue special studies in astronomy. ARGELANDER recognized at once the extraordinary talents and the glowing enthusiasm of the coming astronomer; and when, in the spring of 1853, the position of assistant, there being only one at that time, became vacant by the removal of SCHMIDT to Olmütz, he tendered him this place without hesitation, even before his promotion, which did not take place until the summer of 1854. ARGELANDER had already considered plans for the Durchmusterung of the northern heavens; the advent of SCHOENFELD, who took up the work with great zeal, soon matured these projects. During a long absence of ARGELANDER, who had journeyed to Pulkowa, the first zone observations were taken up with the small comet seeker and laid before the Director upon his return, as a sample of his work. The author of these lines had the good fortune to take part in this great undertaking, at first as a volunteer only, but later on as a permanent assistant. Happy days of trying but successful activity were begun with this work, which, under a mutual rivalry between the Director and his assistants, steadily progressed; with it SCHOENFELD was constantly connected until its completion, although called away in 1859 as Director to the Observatory at Mannheim, to which place his wife, who faithfully stood by his side and shared his joys and sorrows to the end, soon followed him. At Mannheim he sought and successfully carried out new work commensurate with the modest means at his disposal. A study of the variable stars, begun at Bonn, was consistently continued, and the results were laid down in the two Mannheim catalogues. Aside from that, SCHOENFELD observed those nebulæ visible to the Mannheim refractor, and published a catalogue that may well serve as a model to-day. At about this time occurred the founding of the Astronomische Gesellschaft, in the promotion of the welfare of which he has earned such justly deserved praise, more particularly as its Secretary since 1875 When, in the year 1875, the Bonn Observatory was left without a head by the death of the never-to-be-forgotten ARGELANDER, it was not a doubtful question who among the astronomers would be the most worthy to fill the great vacancy. SCHOENFELD stepped into this new office; he knew how to preserve the traditions of the Observatory, and with an affecting devotion to his predecessor and former teacher, continued the task in its original conception. He at once began the great work of the southern Durchmusterung, for which he made all the observations himself, as well as the greater part of the reductions. The over-exertion of these ten years probably laid the foundation of his subsequent illness. It would not be fair were no mention to be made of the invaluable services rendered by the deceased at the University. When only an instructor, before his removal to Mannheim, he delivered lectures noted for their clearness, combined with the most thorough scholarship; later on, as Professor of Astronomy, he devoted the greatest care to the department of his choice. His numerous scholars are full of praise for the completeness with which astronomical laws were presented to them. The universal knowledge of the departed was absolutely astounding; he knew how to impart information on any question, and was ever ready to converse upon subjects that were really foreign to his science, in order to instruct himself. Aided by a prodigious memory, he had become one of the best-read, and had gathered a fund of knowledge that was admired by all who came in contact with him. What he, whose loss we lament, has been to his friends, can be best judged by the author of these lines, who was closely connected with him through a period of over thirty-eight years. He was pleasant and communicative to all, and never presumed upon his superiority; if, at times, he carried his unassuming way to excess, it gives us the assurance that there could not have been either jealousy or enmity in any one against him. OBSERVATORY OF KIEL, 1891, May 2d. A. KRUEGER. GRANT TO THE LICK OBSERVATORY FROM THE ELIZABETH THOMPSON SCIENCE FUND. The Trustees of the ELIZABETH THOMPSON Science Fund of the A. A. A. S. have made a grant to the Lick Observatory for the purpose of providing apparatus to be used in making enlarged photographs with the great equatorial. E. S. H. RECENT IMPORTANT PUBLICATIONS. MAXWELL (JAMES CLERK): The Scientific Papers of MAXWELL, edited by W. D. NIVEN: 2 volumes, many plates, Cambridge University Press, 1890. [A copy of this splendid work has been presented to the Lick Observatory by the CLERKMAXWELL Memorial Committee.] DUNKIN (EDWIN): The Midnight Sky, new edition; London, 1891. (32 star-maps and many engravings.) Price, 8 shillings. MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HELD AT THE LICK OBSERVATORY, JUNE 13TH, 1891. Vice-President SCHAEBERLE presided in the absence of President PIERSON. A quorum was present.. The minutes of the last meeting were approved. The following twenty-six members H. D. BACON* . J. H. BARTLETT Mrs. CAROLINE R. BEALES HENRY BOURSIN JAMES L. FOLEY Hon. W. H. GALBRAITH J. W. GLOVER. H. BARRYMORE HARRISON E. H. HARRISON Rev. H. O. HOFFMAN SYDNEY T. KLEIN* H. M. LEVIER Miss EMMA LEWIS JOHN D. LOCKE ENOCH G. MEGRUE Miss G. J. MILLER THE IMPERIAL OBSERVATORY Miss HARRIET L. PRUYN. ISAAC ROBERTS WM. CURTIS TAYLOR Prof. C. V. ZENGER * were duly elected: 960 Oak Street, Oakland, Cal. Douglas City, Alaska. 59 Wall Street, New York City. Santa Cruz, Cal. Ann Arbor, Michigan. . Jask, Persian Gulf, via Bombay, India. 1947 Welton Street, Denver, Colo. Bloomington, Illinois. 401 California Street, S. F., Cal. Stanmore Observatory, Great Stan- Care J. R. Megrue, Cincinnati, Ohio. . 13 Elk Street, Albany, N. Y. Starfield, Crowboro', Sussex, England. Smichow, Prague, Bohemia. Owing to his departure from the Pacific Coast, Mr. KEELER presented his resignation as an officer of the Society. The following resolutions were adopted: Resolved: That the resignation of Mr. KEELER as Director, Secretary and member of the Committee on Publication A. S. P. be accepted to date from June 1, 1891, with a cordial expression of good wishes to Mr. KEELER in his new career. Resolved: That Mr. W. W. CAMPBELL be appointed Director, Secretary and member of the Committee on Publication A. S. P. to date from June 1, 1891. Resolved: That a list of names presented by the Treasurer be dropped from the list of members. * An asterisk (*) is affixed to the names of Life Members duly elected. The Society has lost the following members through death: R. W. WATERMAN, JOHN LE CONTE, GEORGE JEWETT HICKS. Owing to the temporary closing of the rooms of the Mercantile Library, it was Resolved: That the Library Committee be empowered to remove the books belonging to the Library of the Society to the new rooms at No. 819 Market Street. It was ordered that a catalogue of the books in the Library of the Society be printed. The Treasurer presented his bi-monthly report, which was received and filed. Adjourned. MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF THE PACIFIC, HELD AT THE LICK OBSERVATORY, JUNE 13TH, 1891. President PIERSON being absent, Vice-President SCHAEBERLE pre sided. The minutes of the last meeting, as printed in the Publications, were approved. A list of presents was read by the Secretary, and the thanks of the Society voted to the givers. The Secretary read the names of members duly elected at the meeting of the Directors. The following papers were presented and taken as read: a. The Solar Eclipse of June 6, 1891, by ORRIN E. HARMON, of Chehalis, Washington. b. The Thermometric Chronometer of the Lick Observatory, by A. O. LEUSCHNER, of Berkeley. C. Review of Miss CLERKE's "The System of the Stars," by GEORGE E. HALE, of Chicago. d. Review of Dr. DREYER's "Life of TYCHO BRAHE," by TORVALD KÖHL, of Denmark. e. The Period of the Rotation of the Sun near the Poles, as derived from the Coronas of 1878 and 1889, by Prof. F. H. BIGELOW, of Washington, D. C. f. The Visibility of Interference-Fringes in the Focus of the Telescope, by Professor MICHELSON, of Worcester, Mass. g. Observations of the Transit of Mercury, May 9th, 1891, by Messrs. BURCKHALTER, MOSES and PIERSON (Oakland and San Francisco); by Messrs. HOLDEN, BURNHAM, SCHAEBERLE, KEELER and BARNARD (Mt. Hamilton); by Professor SOULÉ (Berkeley); Professor GEORGE (San Jose); General IRISH (Reno, Nevada); Mr. PARMLEY (Ogden, Utah), and others. Professor TREAT, of Napa College, was kind enough to read a paper by Professor PRITCHETT on the Photographs of the Total Solar Eclipse |