Assuming the same density and brightness of surface as the sun, the diameter of Arcturus would, therefore, be about seventy-nine times the sun's diameter, or over sixty-eight millions of miles, and its mass about 500,000 times the mass of the sun; figures well calculated to "stagger the imagination." From the small value of the parallax found for Arcturus we cannot, of course, place very much reliance on its accuracy, but there can be little doubt that the distance of this bright star is really very great, and that consequently it is a much larger sun than ours, probably one of the most massive bodies in the universe.

A mean of the results found by Elkin and Hall for Aldebaran would reduce the sun to a star of nearly the sixth magnitude at the same distance, and its light would fade to a star of below the eighth magnitude if removed to the distance found by Professor Pritchard for Alpha Cassiopeiæ.

For the bright star Pollux Dr. Elkin found a parallax of only o'068 of a second, representing a distance at which the sun would be reduced to a star of about the seventh magnitude. This makes Pollux 164 times brighter than the sun, indicating a diameter about thirteen times greater, or about eleven millions of miles !

Dr. Elkin's result for the bright southern star Canopus would give the sun a magnitude of only 8 if placed at the same distance. As this brilliant star-second only to Sirius in lustre is nearly one magnitude brighter than Arcturus, we see that it is probably comparable with the northern star in size.

A negative parallax found by Elkin, Glasenapp, and Peters for Alpha Cygni, and a similar result arrived at by Downing and Main for Gamma Draconis, indicates, of course, that these stars lie at a vast distance from the earth, a distance, perhaps, too great for our present methods of measurement. Their comparative brilliancy, especially that of Alpha Cygni, would, therefore, suggest that they are very massive bodies, far exceeding our sun in absolute size.

The results I have given will show that the brilliancy of some at least of the brighter stars may probably be explained by their enormous size in comparison with the sun. Placed at the same distance from the earth, the sun would dwindle to an insignificant star, invisible in some cases to the naked eye!

For some stars of the solar class, however, smaller distances have been found. For Eta Herculis, a star of about 3 magnitude, Belopolsky and Wagner found a parallax of four-tenths of a second, indicating a distance of about the same as that of Sirius. As at this distance the sun would be only reduced to the third magnitude, it

would seem that we have here a star of rather smaller mass than

our sun.

In the case of binary, or revolving double, stars, if we can determine their distance we can easily calculate the combined mass of the components in terms of the sun's mass. Assuming the most reliable distances and the best orbits computed for the following binary stars-Eta Cassiopeia, 40 Eridani, Sirius, Castor, Alpha Centauri, 70 Ophiuchi, and 61 Cygni-I find the total mass of these seven stellar systems equal to 14 times the mass of the sun, or an average of about twice the sun's mass for each system. Omitting Sirius and Castor, which have spectra of the first type, the others being of the second, we have a total mass of five systems of 11 times the mass of the sun, or an average of 231 for each system. Here we have five suns, or rather pairs of suns, not differing greatly from our own sun in mass. Indeed, one of them, 61 Cygni, is of smaller mass, if the orbit computed by Peters can be relied upon. There seems, however, to be still some doubt as to whether this famous pair really forms a binary system. Its distance from the earth has, however, been satisfactorily determined by several astronomers. The later results are fairly accordant, and it may be confidently assumed that its parallax is about 0'45 of a second of arc, representing a distance of 458,366 times the sun's distance from the earth. At this distance I find that the sun would be reduced to a star of about 28 magnitude. Now, from the photometric measures made at Oxford the stellar magnitude of 61 Cygni is 4'98. The difference, or 2'18 magnitudes, implies that the sun is about 7 times brighter than the combined light of the components of 61 Cygni, and its mass, therefore, probably greater.

At the distance of Alpha Centauri-the nearest of all the fixed stars the sun would be reduced to 17 magnitude, or about one magnitude fainter than the star appears to us. This would indicate that, if of the same brightness and density, the mass of the system of Alpha Centauri is about four times the mass of the sun. A calculation based on the computed orbit gives a mass about twice that of the sun, a not very discordant result, as, according to Professor Pickering, there is something "peculiar " about the star's spectrum, which may imply that its density and intrinsic brightness are perhaps somewhat different from that of the sun.

Compared, however, with some faint stars which show a relative proximity to our system, the sun will contrast very favourably in size, or at least in brightness. A star of about the seventh magnitude in the constellation Ursa Major, numbered 21,185 in Lalande's catalogue,

has been found by Winnecke to have a parallax of about half a second of arc. At the distance indicated by this comparatively large parallax the sun would shine as a star of about 2 magnitude, which would make it about fifty times brighter than Lalande's star. Another small star in the same constellation, number 21,258 of Lalande's catalogue, although of only 8 magnitude, yielded to Auwers a parallax of 0.262 of a second, which may be considered as a comparatively large one. At the distance indicated, the sun would be reduced to a fourth magnitude star, denoting that its brilliancy is about sixty-three times greater than Lalande's star.

Two small stars of the ninth magnitude, numbered 11,677 and 17,415 in the catalogue of Eltzen and Argelander, have been found to show a similar distance, the sun being reduced to about the fourth magnitude in both cases. Here we have a difference of five magnitudes, which implies that the sun is a hundred times brighter than these faint, although comparatively near, stars.

We may, therefore, conclude that while some of the brighter stars are probably vastly larger than our sun, others are almost certainly much smaller. The larger stars, overcoming, as they do, the dwindling effect of vast distance by their stupendous size, may possibly form exceptions to the general rule of stellar mass; and those faint stars which are at a measurable distance from the earth, showing by their feeble light and comparative proximity that they are really as well as apparently small, may also form exceptions in the opposite direction.

The conclusion, then, seems probable that the sun is an averagesized star, neither an exceptionally large nor an exceptionally small member of the vast and varied sidereal system which forms our visible universe.

J. ELI ARD GORE.

A WEDDING AND A CHRISTENING

IN GREECE.

CON

THE WEDDING.

CONTRARY to the general mode of procedure, this particular wedding was not to take place in the church, but in the future home of the bride and bridegroom-a one-roomed cottage, with a beaten mud floor beneath the level of the adjacent roadway.

The invitation to attend the ceremony, which was to be celebrated at about seven or eight o'clock in the evening, had been given me by the bride's godfather, and was accepted with great pleasure on my part, as I had had previous experience of the various and interesting formalities which the Greeks usually introduce into their religious

services.

Accordingly, when the hour was definitely fixed, a bright, intelligent little lad, Niko by name, came to announce that all was in readiness for the ceremony to commence, and that, as the night was very dark, it would be as well for me to place myself under the guidance and protection of him and his shining lantern. It was fortunate that my guide had proffered his services, for without them I certainly should not have attained my destination without a loss of epidermis, if no worse, as the road from the house of my host pursued the uneven tenor of its way downhill, through the village, wrapped in pitchy darkness, except for a twinkling light here and there, till it reached and led over a bridge-unprotected, like all bridges hereabouts, by a balustrade; in addition, its course was plentifully besprinkled with sudden rocky declivities, and small cottage ovens. standing detached from the houses and presenting no outline against the surrounding inky blackness.

A broad beam of light lying athwart my path and apparently proceeding from an open doorway, together with the subdued hum of voices, rendered Niko's announcement of the termination of my perils superfluous.

Stooping to enter the low doorway, the scene which presented

itself was striking and impressive; a crowd of peasants gaily apparelled in their gala costumes-the men in clean snowy-white fustanellas, the women with more colour than usual about their dresses-were at the further end of the cottage, grouped round about the happy couple, who were laughing and chatting in front of the wide open hearth, on which were burning great logs of pitch pine.

As soon as my entry was perceived the bride advanced and held out her hand, which I was amicably shaking à l'anglaise, when she bent forward as if to bow a welcome, and to my surprise, being new to the country, raised my hand to her lips and forehead; this was rather an unpropitious commencement of the evening's proceedings, from my point of view as well as the bride's, for not having been informed of this mode of salutation my hand, expecting to meet with nothing but a reciprocal friendly shake, came into ungentle contact with her face. Warned by this mishap, when it came to the bridegroom's turn to advance and greet me in a similar manner I acquitted myself, if bashfully, yet in a more creditable manner.

This latter was a good-looking, well set-up young fellow of about two- or three-and-twenty; he looked like a character at a fancy dress ball, and was dressed in a handsome blue sleeveless jacket, with a pattern embroidered thereon in white braid; this was fastened only at the neck, and being cut away in a curve on each side, permitted a scrupulously clean linen shirt to be seen underneath, with wide open sleeves; from the waist to just below the knee fell the voluminous folds of the ordinary petticoat-like fustanella, and for trousers and stockings he wore a white woollen tight-fitting garment, with crimson garters at the knees. Upon his head was jauntily perched the crimson Greek fez, with its long black tassel hanging to the shoulders; his feet he had encased in new red zeruchias, a kind of low shoe, the toes of which are pointed and turned up, and furthermore ornamented with a tuft of dyed wool.

Nor did the bride, the belle of the village, lack either natural or artificial charms. The latter comprised a smart white dress, with a profusion of gay-coloured ribbons, and sleeves which peered through an outer covering of fine white muslin on which glittered gilt stars. The whole was set off by a neat scarlet apron and coquettish little cap adorned with silver coins; she wore no veil, and for the time being had discarded the cloth worn by the women across the mouth, which is intended to partly conceal the face.

Notwithstanding her being slightly older than her youthful betrothed, the couple appeared well-matched and to have no lingering doubts as to the desirability of entering the matrimonial estate.