itudes, is imperfect. I believe, for
instance, that the brilliant oval of milky light in Cygnus comes from
stars intimately associated with the leading stars in that
constellation, and not far removed in space (proportionately) beyond
them. Of course, if this be the case, the stars, whose combined light
forms the patch of milky light, must be far smaller than the leading
brilliants of Cygnus. However, this is not the place to enter on
speculations of this sort; I return therefore to the business we have
more immediately in hand.

Towards the east is the square of Pegasus low down towards the horizon.
Towards the south is Scorpio, distinguished by the red and brilliant
Antares, and by a train of conspicuous stars. Towards the west is
Bootes, his leading brilliant--the ruddy Arcturus--lying somewhat nearer
the horizon than the zenith, and slightly south of west. Bootes as a
constellation is easily found if we remember that he is delineated as
chasing away the Greater Bear. Thus at present he is seen in a slightly
inclined position, his head (marked by the third-magnitude star [beta])
lying due west, some thirty degrees from the zenith. It has always
appeared to me, by the way, that Bootes originally had nobler
proportions than astronomers now assign to him. It is known that Canes
Venatici now occupy the place of an upraised arm of Bootes, and I
imagine that Corona Borealis, though undoubtedly a very ancient
constellation, occupies the place of his other arm. Giving to the
constellation the extent thus implied, it exhibits (better than most
constellations) the character assigned to it. One can readily picture to
oneself the figure of a Herdsman with upraised arms driving Ursa Major
before him. This view is confirmed, I think, by the fact that the Arabs
called this constellation the Vociferator.

Bootes contains many beautiful objects. Partly on this account, and
partly because this is a constellation with which the observer should be
specially familiar, a map of it is given in Plate 4.

Arcturus has a distant pale lilac companion, and is in other respects a
remarkable and interesting object. It is of a ruddy yellow colour.
Schmidt, indeed, considers that the star has changed colour of late
years, and that whereas it was once very red it is now a yellow star.
This opinion does not seem well grounded, however. The star _may_ have
been more ruddy once than now, though no other observer has noticed such
a peculiarity; but i