e resemblance to De
Vico's lost comet of 1844[1350] of one detected November 20, 1894, by
Edward, son of Lewis Swift. Schulhof[1351] announced the identity, and
Chandler,[1352] under reserve, vouched for it. Had the comet continued
to pursue the track laboriously laid down for it at Boston, and shown
itself at the due epoch in 1900, its individuality might have been
considered assured; but the formidable vicegerent of the sun once more
interposed, and, in 1897, swept it out of the terrestrial range of view.
Hence the recognition remains ambiguous.

On the morning of March 7, 1892, Professor Lewis Swift discovered the
brightest comet that had been seen by northern observers since 1882.
About the time of perihelion, which occurred on April 6, it was
conspicuous, as it crossed the celestial equator from Aquarius towards
Pegasus, with a nucleus equal to a third magnitude star, and a tail
twenty degrees long. This tail was multiple, and multiple in a most
curiously variable manner. It divided up into many thin nebulous
streaks, the number and relative lustre of which underwent rapid and
marked changes. Their permanent record on Barnard's and W. H.
Pickering's plates marked a noteworthy advance in cometary photography.
Plate IV. reproduces two of the Lick pictures, taken with a six-inch
camera, on April 5 and 7 respectively, with, in each case, an exposure
of about one hour. The tail is in the first composed of three main
branches, the middle one having sprung out since the previous morning,
and the branches are, in their turn, split up into finer rays, to the
number of perhaps a dozen in all. In the second a very different state
of things is exhibited. "The southern component," Professor Barnard
remarked, "which was the brightest on the 5th, had become diffused and
fainter, while the middle tail was very bright and broad. Its southern
side, which was the best defined, was wavy in numerous places, the tail
appearing as if disturbing currents were flowing at right angles to it.
At 42 deg. from the head the tail made an abrupt bend towards the south,
as if its current was deflected by some obstacle. In the densest portion
of the tail, at the point of deflection, are a couple of dark holes,
similar to those seen in some of the nebulae. The middle portion of the
tail is brighter, and looks like crumpled silk in places."[1353] Next
morning the southern was the prominent branch, and it was loaded, at
1 deg. 42' from the head, with