I confefs that this fcene appeared to me with additional beauty, as the little fecondary planets feemed to give a dignity to the primary one, which raifes it into a more confpicuous fituation among the great bodies of our folar fyftem.

[From Vol. 78, Part 2.]

In a paper read before the Royal Society, May 22, 1788, Dr. Herfchell further purfues the preceding fubject. Neither the eclipfes, nor the fituations of the fatellites of the Georgian planet, at the time of fucceffive oppofitions, could yet be obferved to determine the elements of their motions. Dr. Herfchell, therefore, has taken their fituations in fuch places, as he could determine them with fome degree of precifion, and availed himself of computation to reduce them to fuch other fituations as his purpose required.

"In January, February, and March, 1787, the pofitions were determined by caufing the planet to pafs along a wife, and eftimating the angle a fatellite made with this wire, by a high magnifying power; but then I could only ufe fuch of thefe fituations where the fatellite happened to be either directly in the parallel of declination, or in the meridian of the planet; or where, at least, it did not deviate above a few degrees from either of them; as it would not have been fafe to trust to more diftant eftimations. In October I had improved my apparatus fo far as to measure the pofitions by the fame angular micrometer with which I have formerly determined the ralative pofitions of double ftars.

In computing the periods of the fatellites I have contented myself with fynodical appearances, as the pofition of their orbits, at the time when the fituations were taken from which thefe periods are deduced, was not fufficiently known to attempt a very accurate fidereal calculation,'

"

After going minutely into the fubject, Dr. Herfchell concludes his paper on the Georgian fatellites in the following manner.

"In justice to the foregoing calcu lations I fhould add, that the refult of them must be confiderably affected by any fmail alteration in the measures upon which they are founded; the general theory, however, will certainly ftand good, and a greater perfection in particulars could not have been obtained, unless I had waited fome years, at least, in order to multiply good obfervations. But with objects that are out of the reach of common telescopes, and which therefore cannot be much attended to, even by our most affiduous aftronomers, a general theory will perhaps nearly anfwer all the ends that may be required of it.

The meafures of the distances were taken by a good parallel-wire micrometer, contrived fo that one of the wires, which is moveable, can pafs over the other; by which means central measures may be obtained with more accuracy than by allowing for the thickness of the wires, the afcertaining of which is liable to fome difficulties in other conftructions; but here, as we can note the divifions on the first appearance of light at either fide of the fixed wire, when the moveable one paffes over it backwards and forwards, we may very conveniently determine that part of the scale to which the zero ought to answer in central measures. The value of the fcale was afcertained by the tranfit of ftars over the two wires opened to a certain number of divifions, and a chronometer beating five times in two feconds of mean time; and in a number of several fets of experiments, the mean of each seldom differed fo much as the 500dth part of a fecond of space for each divifion, and these are large enough to be fub-divided and read off, with good

exactness

exactnefs to tenths and yet the fpace answering to each part amounts only to 282 millefimals of a fecond. The measures of the distances alfo were as often repeated as the opportunities would permit, and a mean of them has been used.

The light of the fatellites of the Georgian planet is, as we may well expect, on account of their great diftance, uncommonly faint. The fecond is the brightest of the two, but the difference is not confiderable; befides, we must allow for the effect of the light of the planet, which is pretty strong within the fmall diftances at which they are revolving. I have feen fmall fixed stars, as near the planets as the fatellites, and with no greater light, which on removal of the planet, fhone with a confiderable luitre, fuch as I had by = no means expected of them. A fa=tellite of Jupiter, removed to the I distance of the Georgian planet, s would fhine with lefs than the 180th part of its prefent light; and may we not conclude, that our new fatelElites would be of a very confiderable brightness if they were brought fo near as the orbit of Jupiter, and thus appeared 180 times brighter than at prefent? Nay, this is only when we take both the planets at their mean diftance; for, in their oppofitions, a fatellite brought from the fuperior planet to the orbit of the inferior one, would reflect nearly 250 times the former light; from all which it is evident, that the Georgian fatellites must be of a confiderable magnitude.

If we draw together the refults of my whole calculations into a fmall compass, they will stand as follows:

The first fatellite revolves round the Georgian planet in 8 days 17 hours minute and 19 feconds.

Its diftance is 33".

And on the 19th of October 1787, at 19 h. 11 28", its pofition was 76° 43′ north-following the planet.

The fecond fatellite revolves round

its primary planet in 13 days 11 hours 5 minutes and 1,5 feconds.

Its greatest distance is 44", 23.

And on the 19th of October 1787, its pofition at 17 h. 22′ 40′′, was 76° 43′ north-following the planet.

Last year its least distance was 34",35; but the orbit is fo inclined, that this meafure will change very confiderably in a few years, and by that alteration we shall know which of the double quantities put down for the inclination and node of its orbit are to be used.

The orbit of the fecond fatellite is inclined to the ecliptic

{99° 43′ 53,3"}.

81 6 4,4 Its afcending node is in 18 degrees of Virgo, and 6 degrees of Sagittarius.

When the planet paffes the meridian, being in the node of this fa tellite, the northen part of its orbit will be turned towards the EastWest.

The fituation of the orbit of the first fatellite does not feem to differ materially from that of the fecond.

We fhall have eclipfes of thefe fatellites about the year 1799 and 1818, when they will appear to afcend through the fhadow of the planet almoft in a perpendicular direction to the ecliptic.

The fatellites of the Georgian planet are probably not less than thofe of Jupiter.

The diameter of the new planet is 34217 miles.

The fame diameter feen from the earth, at its mean distance, is 3",90554.

From the fun, at the mean diftance of the carth, 1' 14",5246. Compared to that of the earth as 4,31769 to 1.

This planet in bulk is 80,49256 times as large as the earth.

Its denfity as ,220401 to 1.

Its quantity of matter 17,740612

to 1.

And heavy bodies fall on its furface 18 feet 8 inches in one fecond of time."

INTERESTING PARTICULARS, FROM THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE CUCKOO: BY MR. EDWARD

more frequently happens, that only two or three hedge-fparrow's eggs are hatched with the cuckoo's than otherwife: but whether this be the cafe or not, the fits the fame length of time as if no foreign egg had been introduced, the cuckoo's egg requiring no longer ineubation than her own. However, I have never

CESTERSHIRE.

[From Vol. 48, Part 2.] NLIKE the generality of birds, cuckoos do not pair. When a female appears on the wing, The is often attended by two or three males, who seem to be carneftly contending for her favours. From the time of her appearance, which is about the 17th of April, till after the middle of fummer, the nefts of the birds selected to receive her egg are to be found in great abundance; but, like the other migrating birds, the does not begin to lay till fome weeks after her arrival.

The cuckoo makes choice of the nefts of a great variety of fmall birds. I have known its egg intrufted to the care of the hedge-fparrow, the water-wagtail, the titlark, the yellow-hammer, the green-linnet, and the whin-chat. Among thefe it generally felects the three former; but fhews a much greater partiality to the hedge-fparrow than to any of the reft.

The hedge-fparrow commonly takes up four or five days in laying her eggs. During this time, generally after the has laid one or two, the cuckoo contrives to depofit her egg among the reft, leaving the future care of it entirely to the hedge-fparrow. This intrufion often occafions fome difcompofure; for the old hedge-fparrow, at intervals, while fhe is fitting, not unfrequently throws out fome of her own eggs, and fometimes injures them in fuch a way that they become addle; so that it

fparrow has either thrown out or injured the egg of the cuckoo.

When the hedge-fparrow has fat her ufual time, and difengaged the young cuckoo and fome of her own offspring from the fhell, her own young ones, and any of her eggs that remain unhatched, are foon turned out, the young cuckoo remaining poffeffor of the nest, and fole object of her future care. The young birds are not previously killed, nor are the eggs demolished; but all are left to perish together, either entangled about the bufh which contains the neft, or lying on the ground under it.

The titlark is frequently felected by the cuckoo to take charge of its young one: but as it is a bird less familiar than many that I have mentioned, its neft is not fo often difcovered.

A cuckoo laid her egg in a waterwagtail's neft, in the thatch of an old cottage: the wagtail fat her ufual time, and then hatched all the eggs but one; which, with all the young ones, except the cuckoo, was turned out of the neft. The young birds, confifting of five, were found upon a rafter that projected from under the thatch, and with them was the egg, not in the leaft injured. On examining the egg, I found the young wagtail it contained quite perfect, and just in such a state as birds are when ready to be difengaged from the fhell. The cuckoo was reared by the wagtails till it was nearly capable of flying, when it was killed by an accident.

A hedge

then fat.

June 20, 1786.-On infpecting the nest, I found that the bird had hatched this morning, and that every thing but the cuckoo was thrown out. Under the nest I found one of the young hedge-fparrows dead, and one egg by the fide of the neft entangled with the coarfe woody materials that formed its outfide covering. On examining the egg, I found one end of the hell a little cracked, and could see that the Iparrow it contained was yet alive. It was then restored to the nest, but in a few minutes was thrown out. The egg being again fufpended by the outfide of the neft, was faved a fecond time from breaking. To fee what would happen if the cuckoo was removed, I took out the cuckoo, and placed the egg containing the hedge-fparrow in the neft in its ftead. The old birds, during this time, flew about the spot fhewing figns of great anxiety; but when I withdrew, they quickly came to the neft again. On looking into it in a quarter of an hour after ward, I found the young one completely hatched, warm and lively. The hedge-fparrows were fuffered to remain undisturbed with their new charge for three hours (during which time they paid every atten tion to it) when the cuckoo was again put into the neft. The old fparrows had been fo much disturbed by thefe intrufions, that for fome time they fhewed an unwillingness to come to it: however, at length they came; and on examining the neft again in a few minutes, I found the young fparrow was again tumbled out. It was a fecond time re

I was at first induced to believe, that the old fparrows were the only agents in this feeming unnatural business; but I afterwards, clearly perceived the caufe of this ftrange phænomenon to be quite otherwife.

June 18, 1787, I examined the neft of a hedge-fparrow, which then contained a cuckoo and three hedge. fparrow's eggs. On infpecting it the day following, I found the bird had hatched, but that the neft now con tained only a young cuckoo and one young hedge-fparrow. The neft was placed fo near the extremity of a hedge, that I could diftinctly fee what was going forward in it; and, to my aftonifhment, faw the young cuckoo, though fo newly hatched, in the act of turning out the young hedge-fparrow:

The mode of accomplishing this was very curious. The little animal, with the affiftance of its rump and its wings, contrived to get the bird upon its back, and making a lodgement for the burthen by elevating its elbows, clambered backward with it up the fide of the neft till ic reached the top, where refting for a moment, it threw off its load with a jerk, and quite difengaged it from the nest. It remained in this fitua tion a fhort time, feeling about with the extremity of its wings, as if to be convinced whether the bufinefs was properly executed; and then dropped into the neft again. With the extremities of its wings I have often feen it examine, as it were, an egg and neftling before it began its operations; and the nice fenfibility which thefe parts appeared to poffefs, feemed fufficiently to compen fate the want of fight, which as yet it was deftitute of. I afterward put in an egg; and this, by a fimilar procefs, was conveyed to the edge of the neft, and thrown out. In Z

climbing

kalling to him foche as him thinkyth in his difcrecion that can and will labor to the fonneft fpede of my will comprehended in this myn teftament. And to fulfill trwly all things forefeyd, y charge my forefeyd fon upon my bleffying. Wetneffyng my welbelouyd coufins Thomas erch byfhcoppe of Caunterbury forefeyde, and Edward Duke of York, Thomas bishcoppe of Darefme, Richard the Lord Grey my chamberlaine, John Tiptoft myn treasurer of Englond, John Propbete wardeine of my priuie feale; Thomas Erpingham, John Norbery, Robert Waterton, and meny oder being prefent. In witneffyng whereof my priuy feele be my commaundement is fet to this my teftament. I geue at my manere of Grenwich the XXI. dey of the moneth Januer, the yere of owr Lord M.CCCC.VIII, and of our reigne the tenth.

ACCOUNT

OF THE IMPEACHMENT OF HENRY

DUKE OF LANCASTER, AFTER-\

WARDS HENRY THE FOURTH, KING OF ENGLAND, BY THOMAS

MOWBRAY DUKE OF NORFOLK.

III.

THE hygh fpiryghte of Henry hadde fhowyd meny and ftrongue markes of hys intention; and very meny of the nobilitie of the relme dyd back and ayd the feyde Henry in hys defygn uponne King Richard; allbeit there was not wantyng thofe that dyd fhowe mickle difapprobacion to anie chaynge in the governmente, and meny of prym account; amonge the whych was Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk, erle marfhal; who on herying the kings coufin ufe fome exprefyons that he in hys wyfdome thoughte

*This picce, by the improvement in the ftile, appears to be a tranfcript from fone author living about the time

treefonable in themselves and much to the difhonor of the king, he dyd accufe the feyde Henry to the king, and praied hys majeftie to fecure the faftie of hys facrede perfonne and the peace of the relme, by takyng into fafe cuftodye the Duke of Lancaftre, the whych he thoughte was the more efpeciall neceffarie as the duke was a popular manne and was very much lovyd by the peple; whofe affections he had draune towarde hymfelf by the wily artifyce of flatterynge theyr opinyons. "For," feyde they marchal," if the fpryge of treefon be left to take depe rute, your highneffe choyfeft gardeners of the state (though there be meny and gude workemenne) would not have enough of power to grubbe it upp, unleffe it be taken whyle a faplynge." Whereupponn King Richard dyd fummonn to hys trybunale the accufed duke, and dyd informe hym of the tidyngs that had beenn brought to bys earinge by Thomas Duke of Norfolk, wythale willing hym to clere hymfelf of the treefon layde to hys charge, otherwife to expecte the royale difpleafure. To whych the duke, wyth courage that would feem not nere a kinn to guilte, made answer, "I do beeceech your highness hold me not fo lyght in your opynion as to think I would contrive the downfall of the house wherein myfelf dyd holde a lodgynge; or was I to treefon prompt, Thomas of Norfolk holdes not that place in my efteeme whych would befpake hym knowyng of my me fures; albeit I myght have fpoke, and he perchance myght witness me, of ftrange abuces in the ftate, but not thereby refuringe to your hignefs perfonale governmente, but of matters more futeyng to your councils eye, whereof hys Grace of Norfolk makes a parte; but by your high

of Henry the Eighth, and found among the before mentioned papers.R. E. I.

nefs