7. HYDRA: Alphard or Cor Hydra, of the first magnitude, is the principal star in this constellation. Some authors assert that Cor Hydra is a triple star of the second magnitude.

Hydra is the water serpent which, according to poetic fable, infested the lake Lerna in Peloponnesus. This monster had a great number of heads, and as soon as one was cut off another grew in its stead: it was killed by Hercules. The general opinion is, that this Hydra was only a multitude of serpents which infested the marshes of Lerna.

8. ARGO NAVIS: Canopus, of the first magnitude, is the principal star in this constellation.

Argo Navis, the ship Argo, is supposed to be the famous ship which carried Jason and his companions to Colchis, when they resolved to recover the golden fleece. The derivation of the word Argo has been often disputed. Some derive it from Argos, the person who first proposed the expedition, and who built the ship. Others maintain that it was built at Argos, whence its name. Cicero calls it Argo, because it carried Grecians, commonly called Argives.

9. PISCIS NOTIUS: Fomalhaut, of the first magnitude, is the principal star in this constellation.

Piscis Notius, vel Australis, the Southern Fish, is supposed by the Greeks to be Venus, who transformed herself into a fish to escape from the terrible giant Typhon.

10. CENTAURUS: In this constellation there are several bright stars. The two stars, marked a and B, of the first magnitude, are the most remarkable, but they are never visible at New-York.

The Centauri were a people of Thessali, half men and half horses. The Thessalians were celebrated for their skill in taming horses, and their appearance on horseback was so uncommon a sight to the neighbouring states, that at a distance they imagined the man and horse to be one animal. When the Spaniards landed in America, and appeared on horseback, the Mexicans had the same ideas. Centaurus, the Centaur, is by some supposed to represent Chiron, the Centaur; but as Sagittarius is likewise a Centaur, others have contended that Chiron is represented by the constella tion Sagittarius.

11. CRUX: There are four remarkable stars in this constellation, forming a cross, by which mariners, sailing in the southern hemisphere, readily find the situation of the Antarctic pole, by means of the stars a of the first, and y of the second magnitude, which nearly point in this direction.

Crux, the Cross, is a new constellation, and formed by Royer, no doubt, in honour of that instrument on which the Son of God redeemed mankind. The venerable Bede, instead of the profane names and figures of the twelve zodaical constellations, substituted those of the twelve apostles, which example was followed by Schiller, who completed the reformation, and gave scripture names to all the constellations in the heavens, in a work entitled Cœlum Stellatum Christianum, the Christian Starry Heaven, published in 1627. But the more judicious among astronomers never approved of these innovations, as they only tend to introduce confusion into the science. The old constellations are therefore still retained, because better could not be substituted in their place; and because they keep up the greater correspondence and uniformity between the old astronomy and the

new.

12. CORVUS: Algorab, of the third magnitude, is the most remarkable star in this constellation.

Corvus, the Crow, was, according to the Greek fables, made a constellation by Apollo. This god, being jealous of Coronis, the daughter of Phlegyas and mother of Æsculapius, sent a crow to watch her behaviour. The bird, perched on a tree, perceived her criminal partiality to Ischys, the Thessalian, and acquainted Apollo with her conduct.

13. Crater, Ara, Lupus, Lepus, and Corona Australis. See the table of the southern constellations im Chap. II.

Crater, the Cup, according to the mythologists, is the cup or pitcher of Aquarius. Alkes, of the third magnitude, is the principal star in this constellation.

Ara, the Altar, is supposed by some to be the altar on which the gods swore, before their combats with the giants; others assert that it was Apollo's altar at Delphos. Three stars of the third magnitude, under the tail of the Scorpion, are the principal stars which form this constellation.

Lupus, the Wolf, is supposed to be Lycaon, king of Arcadia, celebrated for his cruelties. He was changed into a wolf by Jupiter, because he offered human victims on the altars of the god Pan. This constellation is composed of several small stars towards the south-east of Antares in the Scorpion.

Lepus, the Hare, is composed of four stars of the third magnitude, near Rigel in Orion. 'The Hare, according to the Greek fables, was placed near Orion, as being one of the animals which he hunted.

Corona Australis, the Southern Crown, is composed of three small stars below the constellation Sagittarius.

14. The Bird of Paradise, the Compasses, the Chameleon, Noah's Dove, the Furnace, the Crane, the Clock, the Water Snake, the Indian, the Air Pump, the Microscope, the Table Mountain, the Southern Fly or Bee, Euclid's Square, Hadley's Octant, the Sculptor's Shop, the Phenix, the Southern Fish, the Flying Fish, the Engraver's Tools, the Mariner's Compass, the Rhomboidal Net, Charles's Oak, the Sextant, the Telescope, the American Goose, and the Southern Triangle, are all new constellations, which were made by Bayer, Royer, Hevelius, Dr. Halley, &c, out of the unformed stars, and those stars in the southern hemisphere that were invisible to the ancient astronomers on account of never appearing above their horizon.

As a great number of these constellations are never visible at New-York, nor in any part of the United States, it is unnecessary to take any farther notice of them here. They may be readily found on the celestial globe, by means of the table of southern constellations in Chap. II.

QUESTIONS

How many constellations are there between the

Zodiac and the south pole?

Name the most remarkable stars in Cetus

Name the most remarkable star in Eridanus

Name the most remarkable stars in Orion.

What is the brightest star in the heavens called, and of what constellation is it the most remarkable star?

Of what constellation is Procyon the principal

What is the most remarkable star in Hydra called?

Name the principal star in Argo Navis.

Name the most remarkable star in the Southern Fish.

Of what magnitude are the principal stars in the Centaur?

Of what magnitude are the principal stars in the Cross?

Name the principal star in the Crow?

Name the principal stars in the Cup, the Altar, the Wolf, and the Hare.

Name the new southern constellations.

CHAPTER. VI.

On the position of the constellations, and principal stars in the heavens.

1. In order to describe the position of the constellations and principal stars that are visible in the heavens, we shall first give a description of Ursa Major, and then proceed to trace out the others, by means of this constellation.