BULLIALDUS.—A noble object, 38 miles in diameter, forming with its surroundings by far the most notable formation on the surface of the Mare Nubium, and one of the most characteristic ring-plains on the moon. It should be observed about the time when the morning terminator lies on the W. border of the Mare Humorum, as at this phase the best view is obtained of the two deep parallel terrace valleys which run round the bright inner slope of the E. wall, of the crater-row against which they abut on the S.E., and of the massive W. glacis, with its spurs and depressions. The S. border of Bullialdus has been manifestly modified by the presence of the great ring-plain A, a deep irregular formation with linear walls, which is connected with it by a shallow valley. The rampart of Bullialdus rises about 8000 feet above a concave floor, which sinks some 4000 feet below the Mare on the E. With the exception of the fine compound central mountain, 3000 feet high, there are few details in the interior. On the S., is the fine ring-plain B, connected with the S.E. wall near the crater-row by a well-marked valley, and nearly due E. of B is another, a square-shaped enclosure, C, with a very lofty little mountain on the E. side of it, and a crater on its S. wall. In addition to these features, there are many ridges and surface inequalities, very prominent under oblique illumination.
LUBINIEZKY.—A regular enclosure, about 23 miles in diameter, N.E. of Bullialdus, with a low attenuated border, which is nowhere more than 1000 feet in height. It is tolerably continuous, except on the S., where there are two or three breaks. Its level dark interior presents no details to vary its monotony. Close under the N.W. wall is a small crater connected with it by a ridge, and E. of this a very rugged area, traversed in every direction by narrow shallow valleys, which are well worth looking at when close to the morning terminator. A bright spur projects from the N. wall of Lubiniezky.
KIES.—A somewhat similar formation, S. of Bullialdus, about 25 miles in diameter, also encircled by a border of insignificant dimensions, attaining an altitude of 2400 feet at only one point on the S.E., while elsewhere it is scarcely higher than that of Lubiniezky. It is clearly polygonal, approximating to the hexagonal type. On the more distinct S. section a bright spur projects from it. On the N. its continuity is broken by a distinct little crater. It is traversed by a remarkable white streak, extending in a S.W. direction from Bullialdus C (where it is very wide), across the interior, to the more westerly of two craters S.W. of Mercator. Another streak branches out from it near the centre of the floor, and runs to the W. wall. The principal streak, so far as the portion within Kies is concerned, represents a cleft. On the Mare E. of Kies is a curious circular mound, and farther towards Campanus two prominent little mountains. On the N.W. is a large obscure ring and a wide shallow valley bordered by ridges.
AGATHARCHIDES.—A very irregular complex ring-plain, about 28 miles in diameter, forming part of the N.W. side of the Mare Humorum. It must be observed under many phases before one can clearly comprehend its distinctive features. The wall is very deficient on the N., but is represented in places by bright mountain masses. The formation is flanked on the E. by a double rampart, which is at one place more than 5000 feet in height, with a deep intervening valley. The S. wall is traversed by a number of parallel valleys, all trending towards Hippalus. These are included in a much wider and longer chasm, which, gradually diminishing in breadth, extends up to the N. wall of the latter.
HIPPALUS.—A partially ruined walled-plain, about 38 miles in diameter, on the W. side of the Mare Humorum, S. of Agatharchides. At least one- third of the border is wanting on the S.E., but under a low sun its site can be distinguished by a faint marking and the obvious difference in tone between the dark interior and the lighter-coloured plain. The rest of the wall is bright and continuous, except at a place on the W., where what appears to be the segment of a large ring has encroached upon it. There are two craters in the interior of Hippalus, and a row of parallel ridges, running obliquely from the S.W. wall up to a cleft which traverses the floor from N. to S. W. of Hippalus stands a bright crater, Hippalus A, with an incomplete little ring-plain adjoining it on the N.W.; and N.E. of it a much larger obscure ring containing two little hills. The Hippalus rill-system is a very interesting one, and the greater part of it can, moreover, be easily traced in a good 4 inch achromatic. It originates in the rugged region E. of Campanus, from which five nearly parallel curved clefts extend up to the rocky barrier, connecting the N. side of this formation with the S.W. side of Hippalus. The most westerly of these furrows is interrupted by a crater on this wall, but reappears on the N. side of it, and, after making a detour towards the W. to avoid a little mountain in its path, runs partially round the E. flank of Hippalus A, and then, continuing its northerly course, terminates amid the mountains W. of Agatharchides. (A short parallel cleft runs E. of this from the little mountain to the E. side of A.) The most easterly member of the system, originating N. of Ramsden, enters Hippalus at the S. side of the great gap in the border, and, after traversing the floor at the W. foot of a ridge thereon, also extends towards the mountains W. of Agatharchides. Between these clefts are three intermediate furrows, one of which runs N. from the N. side of the encroaching ring already referred to, on the W. wall of Hippalus.
CAMPANUS.—A ring-plain, 30 miles in diameter, on the rocky barrier, extending in nearly a straight line from Hippalus to Cichus. Its terraced walls, which rise on the E. more than 6000 feet above the floor, are broken on the S. by a narrow valley, and on the E. by a small crater. A small central mountain is apparently the only object on a very dark interior.
MERCATOR.—A more irregular ring-plain of about the same area, adjoining Campanus on the S.W. Its rampart is somewhat lower, and is partially broken on the N. by two semi-rings, and on the S. by a gap. The E. wall extends on the S. far beyond the limits of the formation, and terminates in a brilliant mountain mass 6000 feet in height. There is a bright crater on the crest of both the E. and W. border. On the plain E. of Mercator is a remarkable little crater standing on a light area, and, just under the wall, a dusky pit connected with it by a rill-like marking. These objects are of a very doubtful nature, and should be carefully observed. The floor of Mercator is much lighter than that of Campanus, and appears to be devoid of detail.
CICHUS.—A conspicuous ring-plain, about 20 miles in diameter, with a prominent deep crater about 6 miles across on its E. rim. It is situated on a curious boot-shaped plateau, near the S. end of the rocky mountain barrier associated with the last two formations. Its walls rise about 9000 feet above a sunken floor, on which there is some faint detail, but apparently nothing deserving the distinction of a central mountain. The plateau on the N. is cut through by a fine broad valley, which has obviously interfered with a large crateriform depression on its southern edge. A cleft runs from a small crater W. of the plateau up to this valley, and extends beyond to the W. wall of Capuanus. There is also a delicate cleft crossing the region S. of Cichus to the group of complicated formations S.W. of Capuanus. As already mentioned, the great Hesiodus cleft is associated with the Cichus plateau.
CAPUANUS.—A large ring-plain, about 34 miles in diameter, E. of Cichus, with a border especially remarkable on the E., where it rises more than 8000 feet above the outside country, and includes a large brilliant shallow crater. It is broken on the N.W. by a small but noteworthy double crater; and on the S. its continuity is destroyed for many miles by a number of big circular and sub-circular depressions and prominent deep valleys, far too numerous and complicated to describe. The level dusky interior contains only a low mound on the S., but is crossed by some light streaks running from N. to S.
RAMSDEN.—This ring-plain, 12 miles in diameter, derives its importance from the remarkable rill-system with which it is so closely associated. Its border, about 1800 feet on the W. above the outside surface, is slightly terraced within on the E., where there is an unrecorded bright crater on the slope. The two principal clefts on the S. originate among the hills E. of Capuanus. The more easterly begins at a crater on the N. edge of these objects, and runs N. to the E. side of Ramsden; the other originates at a larger crater, and proceeds in a N. direction up to a bright little mountain S.W. of Ramsden; when, swerving to the N.E., it ends at the W. wall of this formation. This mountain is a centre or node from which three other more delicate branches radiate. On the N., three of the shortest clefts pertaining to the system are easily traceable from neighbouring mountains up to the N. wall, which they apparently partially cut through. The E. pair have a common origin, but open out as they approach the border of Ramsden.