VEGA.—Schmidt represents this peculiar formation, situated S.E. of Oken, as having a regular curved unbroken rampart on the E., while the opposite border is occupied by four large partially overlapping ring-plains, two of which contain small craters. The floor is devoid of detail.
PONTECOULANT.—A great irregular walled plain, about 100 miles in length, near the S.W. limb, with a border rising in places to a height of 6000 feet above the floor.
HANNO.—A smaller and more regular enclosure, adjoining Pontecoulant on the N.W., and still nearer the limb.
WEST LONGITUDE 60 deg. TO 40 deg.
MESSIER.—The more westerly of a remarkable pair of bright craters, about 9 miles in diameter, standing in an isolated position in the Mare Foecunditatis just S. of the Equator. Madler represents them as similar in every respect, but Webb, observing them in 1855 and 1856 with a 3 7/10 achromatic, found them very distinctly different,—Messier, the more westerly, being not only clearly smaller than its companion, but longer from W. to E. than from N. to S., as it undoubtedly is at the present time. Messier A, however, as the companion is termed, though larger, is certainly not circular, as sometimes shown, but triangular with curved sides. It is just possible that change may have occurred here, for Madler carefully observed these objects more than three hundred times, and, it may be presumed, under very different phases. Messier A is the origin of two slightly divergent light streaks, resembling a comet's tail, which extend over the Mare towards its E. border N. of Lubbock, and are crossed obliquely by a narrower streak. Messier and Messier A stand near the S. and narrowest end of a tapering curved light area. There is a number of craterlets and minute pits in the neighbourhood, and under a high light two round dusky spots are traceable in connection with the "comet" marking, one just beyond its northern, and the other beyond its southern border, near its E. extremity.
LUBBOCK.—A brilliant little crater, about 4 or 5 miles in diameter, near the E. coast-line of the Mare Foecunditatis. The region E. of this object is particularly well worthy of scrutiny under a low sun, on account of the variety of detail it includes. On the S.E. run three fine parallel clefts, originating near the N. end of the Pyrenees.
GUTTEMBERG.—A very fine ring-plain of peculiar shape, about 45 miles in width, with a lofty wall, broken on the N.W. by another ring-plain some 14 miles in diameter, and on the S.E. by a small but distinct crater. The border presents a wide opening towards the S., which is traversed by a number of longitudinal valleys, both the E. and W. sections of the wall being prolonged in this direction. A fine crater-row runs round the outer slope of the E. wall, from the crater just mentioned to the N. side of the formation. It is best seen when the W. wall is on the evening terminator. There is also a broad valley on the S. prolongation of the W. wall. The central mountain is bright but not large. A cleft crosses the N.W. side of the floor. North of Guttemberg there is a curious oblong formation with low walls, connected with the N.E. border by a ridge, and with the N. border by a remarkable row of depressions, situated on a mound; and beyond this object on the E. are three parallel clefts running towards the N.E. On the W. will be found some of the clefts belonging to the Goclenius rill-system. In the rugged region S.E. of the formation is a peculiar low ring with a very uneven floor and a large central hill. The E. wall of Guttemberg may be regarded as forming a portion of the Pyrenees Mountains.
GOCLENIUS.—A ring-plain, about 28 miles in diameter, bearing much resemblance to Plinius in form and size, and, like this formation, associated with a fine system of clefts. The lofty rampart, tolerably continuous on the W., is broken on the S.W. by a bright crater, and on the N.W. by a remarkable triangular depression. It is also traversed by a delicate valley extending from the crater on the S.W. to another on the N.W. border; and at a point a little W. of the first crater is dislocated by an intrusive mass of rock. There are several gaps on the E. and many spurs and irregularities in outline both within and without. A great portion of the N. wall is linear, and joins the E. section nearly at right angles. West of the triangular depression it appears to be partially wrecked, indications of the destruction being very evident if it be observed when the E. wall is near the morning terminator. The small bright central mountain is remarkable for its curious oblong shadow. Two clefts traverse the interior of Goclenius. (1) Originates at the S. wall, E. of the crater, and runs E. of the central mountain to the N. wall; (2) crosses the debris of the ruined N.W. border, runs parallel to the first, and extends nearly to the centre of the floor, (1) Re-appears at the foot of a mound outside the N. wall, and, after crossing the outer W. slope of the great ring-plain on the N.W. wall of Guttemberg, runs to the W. side of an oblong formation N. of it. There are two other clefts, closely parallel and W. of this, traversing the Mare, and terminating among the mountains on the N.W. These are crossed at right angles by what appears to be a "fault," running in a N.W. direction from the W. side of Guttemberg.
MACCLURE.—One of a curious group of formations situated in the Mare Foecunditatis some distance S.W. of Goclenius. It is a bright ring-plain, about 15 miles in diameter, with a narrow gap in the N.E. wall and a small central hill. A prominent ridge runs up to the N. border; and on the S.W. a rill-valley may be traced, extending S. to a bright deep little crater W. of Cook.
CROZIER.—A conspicuous ring-plain a few miles N.N.W. of MacClure, and of about the same size. It has a faint central hill. Neison refers to two long straight streaks extending from Crozier towards Messier.