ARIADAEUS.—A bright little crater of polygonal shape, with another crater of about one-third the area adjoining it on the N.W., situated on the rocky E. margin of the Mare Tranquilitatis, N.E. of Ritter. A short cleft runs from it towards the latter, but dies out about midway. A second cleft begins near its termination, and runs up to the N.E. wall of Ritter. E. of this pair a third distinct cleft, originating at a point on the coast-line about midway between Ariadaeus and Dionysius, ends near the same place on the border. There is a fourth cleft extending from the N. side of a little bay N. of Ariadaeus across the Mare to a point N.W. of the more northerly of the three craters N. of Ritter. At a small crater on the S. flank of the mountains bordering the little bay N. of Ariadaeus originates one of the longest and most noteworthy clefts on the moon's visible surface, discovered more than a century ago by Schroter of Lilienthal. It varies considerably in breadth and depth, but throughout its course over the plain, between Ariadaeus and Silberschlag, it can be followed without difficulty in a very small telescope. E. of the latter formation, towards Hyginus (with which rill-system it is connected), it is generally more difficult. A few miles E. of Ariadaeus it sends out a short branch, running in a S.W. direction, which can be traced as a fine white line under a moderately high sun. It is interesting to follow the course of the principal cleft across the plain, and to note its progress through the ridges and mountain groups it encounters. In the great Lick telescope it is seen to traverse some old crater-rings which have not been revealed in smaller instruments. About midway between Ariadaeus and Silberschlag it exhibits a duplication for a short distance, first detected by Webb.
DE MORGAN.—A brilliant little crater, 4 miles in diameter, on the plain
S. of the Ariadaeus cleft.
CAYLEY.—A very deep bright crater, with a dark interior, N. of the last, and more than double its diameter. There is a second crater between this and the cleft.
WHEWELL.—Another bright little ring, about 3 miles in diameter, some distance to the E. of De Morgan and Cayley.
SOSIGENES.—A small circular ring-plain, 14 miles in diameter, with narrow walls, a central mountain, and a minute crater outside the wall on the E.; situated on the E. side of the Mare Tranquilitatis, W. of Julius Caesar. There is another crater, about half its diameter, on the S., connected with it by a low mound. This has a still smaller crater on the W. of it.
JULIUS CAESAR.—A large incomplete formation of irregular shape. The wall on the E. is much terraced, and forms a flat "S" curve. The summit ridge is especially bright, and has a conspicuous little crater upon it. On the W. is a number of narrow longitudinal valleys trending from N. to S., included by a wide valley which constitutes the boundary on this side. The border on the S. consists of a number of low rounded banks, those immediately E. of Sosigenes being traversed by several shallow valleys, which look as if they had been shaped by alluvial action. There is a brilliant little hill at the end of one of these valleys, a few miles E. of Sosigenes. The floor of Julius Caesar is uneven in tone, becoming gradually duskier from S. to N., the northern end ranking among the darkest areas on the lunar surface. There are at least three large circular swellings in the interior. A long low mound, with two or three depressions upon it, bounds the wide valley on the E. side.
GODIN.—A square-shaped ring-plain, 28 miles in diameter, with rounded corners. The bright rampart is everywhere lofty, except on the S., is much terraced, and includes a central mountain. On the S. a curious trumpet-shaped valley, extending some distance towards the S.W., and bounded by bright walls, is a noteworthy feature at sunrise. There are other longitudinal valleys with associated ridges on this side of the formation, all running in the same direction. There is a large bright crater outside the border on the N.E., and, between it and the wall, another, smaller, which is readily seen under a high sun.
AGRIPPA.—A ring-plain 28 miles in diameter on the N. of the last, with a terraced border rising to a height of between 7000 and 8000 feet above the floor, which contains a large bright central mountain and two craters on the S. The shape of this formation deviates very considerably from circularity, the N. wall, on which stands a small crater, being almost lineal. On the W., at a distance of a few miles, runs the prominent mountain range, extending northwards nearly up to the E. flank of Julius Caesar, which bounds the E. side of the great Ariadaeus plain. Between this rocky barrier and Agrippa is a very noteworthy enclosure containing much minute detail and a long straight ridge resembling a cleft. A few miles N. of Agrippa stands a small crater; at a point W. of which the Hyginus cleft originates.
SILBERSCHLAG.—A very brilliant crater, 8 or 9 miles in diameter, connected with the great mountain range just referred to. The Ariadaeus cleft cuts through the range a few miles N. of it. This neighbourhood at sunrise presents a grand spectacle. With high powers under good atmospheric conditions, the plain E. of the mountains is seen to be traversed by a number of shallow winding valleys, trending towards Agrippa, and separated by low rounded hills which have all the appearance of having been moulded by the action of water.
BOSCOVICH.—This is not a very striking telescopic object under any phase, on account of its broken, irregular, and generally ill-defined border. It is, however, remarkable as being one of the darkest spots on the visible surface: in this respect a fit companion to Julius Caesar, its neighbour on the W. Schmidt shows some ridges within it.