SHUCKBURGH.—A square-shaped enclosure on the N. of the last, with a comparatively low border. It has a conspicuous crater at its N.W. corner.
BERZELIUS.—A considerable ring-plain of regular form, with low walls and dark interior, on which there is a central peak, difficult to detect.
FRANKLIN.—A ring-plain, 33 miles in diameter, which displays a considerable departure from the circular type, as the border is in great part made up of rectilineal sections. Both the W. and N.E. wall is much terraced, and rises about 8000 feet above the dark floor, on the S. part of which there is a long ridge. There is a bright little isolated mountain on the plain E. of the formation, and a conspicuous craterlet on the N.W. An incomplete ring, with a very attenuated border, abuts on the S. side of Franklin.
CEPHEUS.—A peculiarly shaped ring-plain, 27 miles in diameter. The E. border is nearly rectilineal, while on the W., the wall forms a bold curve. There is a very brilliant crater on the summit of this section, and a central mountain on the floor. The W. wall is much terraced. W. of Cepheus, close to the brilliant crater, there is a cleft or narrow valley running N. towards Oersted.
OERSTED.—An oblong formation with very low walls, scarcely traceable on the S.E., except when near the terminator. There is a conspicuous crater on the N.W. side of the floor, and a curious square enclosure, with a crater on its W. border, abutting on the N.E. wall.
CHEVALLIER.—An inconspicuous object enclosed by slightly curved ridges. It includes a deep bright crater. On the N. is a low square formation and a long ridge running N. from it. Just beyond the N.E. wall is the fine large crater, Atlas A, with a much smaller but equally conspicuous crater beyond. A has a central hill, which, in spite of the bright interior, is not a difficult feature.
ATLAS.—This, and its companion Hercules on the E., form under oblique illumination a very beautiful pair, scarcely surpassed by any other similar objects on the first quadrant. Its lofty rampart, 55 miles in diameter, is surmounted by peaks, which on the N. tower to an altitude of nearly 11,000 feet. It exhibits an approach to a polygonal outline, the lineal character of the border being especially well marked on the N. The detail on the somewhat dark interior will repay careful scrutiny with high powers. There is a small but distinct central mountain, south of which stands a number of smaller hills, forming with the first a circular arrangement, suggestive of the idea that they represent the relics of a large central crater. Several clefts may be seen on the floor under suitable illumination, among them a forked cleft on the N.E. quarter, and two others, originating at a dusky pit of irregular form situated near the foot of the S.E. wall, one of which runs W. of the central hills, and the other on the opposite side. A ridge, at times resembling a light marking, extends from the central mountain to the N. border. During the years 1870 and 1871 I bestowed some attention on the dusky pit, and was led to suspect that both it and the surrounding area vary considerably in tone from time to time. Professor W.H. Pickering, observing the formation in 1891 with a 13 inch telescope under the favourable atmospheric conditions which prevail at Arequipa, Peru, confirmed this supposition, and has discovered some very interesting and suggestive facts relating to these variations, which, it is hoped, will soon be made public. On the plain a short distance beyond the foot of the glacis of the S.E. wall, I have frequently noted a second dusky spot, from which proceeds, towards the E., a long rill-like marking. On the N. there is a large formation enclosed by rectilineal ridges. The outer slopes of the rampart of Atlas are very noteworthy under a low sun.
HERCULES.—The eastern companion of Atlas, a fine ring-plain, about 46 miles in diameter, with a complex border, rising some 11,000 feet above a depressed floor. There are few formations of its class and size which display so much detail in the shape of terraces, apparent landslips, and variation in brightness. In the interior, S.E. of the centre, is a very conspicuous crater, which is visible as a bright spot when the formation itself is hardly traceable, two large craterlets slightly N. of the centre, and several faint little spots on the east of them. The latter, detected some years ago by Herr Hackel of Stuttgart, are arranged in the form of a horse-shoe. There are two small contiguous craters on the S.E. wall, one of which, a difficult object, was recently detected by Mr. W.H. Maw, F.R.A.S. The well-known wedge-shaped protuberance on the S. wall is due to a large irregular depression. On the bright inner slope of the N. wall are manifest indications of a landslip.
ENDYMION.—A large walled-plain, 78 miles in diameter, enclosed by a lofty, broad, bright border, surmounted in places by peaks which attain a height of more than 10,000 feet above the interior, one on the W. measuring more than 15,000 feet. The walls are much terraced and exhibit two or three breaks. The dark floor appears to be devoid of detail. Schmidt, however, draws two large irregular mounds E. of the centre, and shows four narrow light streaks crossing the interior nearly parallel to the longer axis of the formation.
DE LA RUE.—Notwithstanding its great extent, this formation hardly deserves a distinctive name, as from the lowness of its border it is scarcely traceable in its entirety except under very oblique light. Schmidt, nevertheless, draws it with very definite walls, and shows several ridges and small rings in the interior. Among these objects, a little E. of the centre, there is a prominent peak.