selecting which I was guided by a paper drawn up for me by Mr. Adams. Not having hour xxi. of the Berlin star-maps--of the publication of which I was not aware--I had to proceed on the principle of comparison of observations made at intervals. On July 30, I went over a zone 9' broad, in such a manner as to include all stars to the eleventh magnitude. On August 4, I took a broader zone and recorded a place of the planet. My next observations were on August 12; when I met with a star of the eighth magnitude in the zone which I had gone over on July 30,--and which did not then {389} contain this star. Of course, this was the planet;--the place of which was, thus, recorded a second time in four days of observing. A comparison of the observations of July 30 and August 12 would, according to the principle of search which I employed, have shown me the planet. I did not make the comparison till after the detection of it at Berlin--partly because I had an impression that a much more extensive search was required to give any probability of discovery--and partly from the press of other occupation. The planet, however, was _secured_, and two positions of it recorded six weeks earlier here than in any other observatory,--and in a systematic search expressly undertaken for that purpose. I give now the positions of the planet on August 4 and August 12. Greenwich mean time. Aug. 4, 13h. 36m. 25s. {R.A. 21h. 58m. 14.70s. {N.P.D. 102 deg. 57' 32.2" Aug. 12, 13h. 3m. 26s. {R.A. 21h. 57m. 26.13s. {N.P.D. 103 deg. 2' 0.2" "From these places compared with recent observations Mr. Adams has obtained the following results: Distance of the planet from the sun 30.05 Inclination of the orbit 1 deg. 45' Longitude of the descending node 309 deg. 43' Heliocentric longitude, Aug. 4 326 deg. 39' "The present distance from the sun is, therefore, thirty times the earth's mean distance;--which is somewhat less than the theory had indicated. The other elements of the orbit cannot be approximated to till the observations shall have been continued for a longer period. "The part taken by Mr. Adams in the theoretical search after this planet will, perhaps, be considered to justify the suggesting of a name. With his consent, I mention _Oceanus_ as one which may possibly receive the votes of astronomers.--I {390} have authority to state that Mr. Adams's investigations will in a short time, be published in detail. "J. CHALLIS."[803] ASTRONOMICAL POLICE REPORT. "An ill-looking kind of a body, who declined to give any name, was brought before the Academy of Sciences, charged with having assaulted a gentleman of the name of Uranus in the public highway. The prosecutor was a youngish looking person, wrapped up in two or three great coats; and looked chillier than anything imaginable, except the prisoner,--whose teeth absolutely shook, all the time.