recognised as forming a tolerably well-marked small group. The star
Alkes, or [alpha] Crateris, must first be found. It is far from being
the brightest star in the constellation, and may be assumed to have
diminished considerably in brilliancy since it was entitled [alpha] by
Bayer. It will easily be found, however, by means of the observer's star
maps. If now the telescope be directed to Alkes, there will be found,
following him at a distance of 42·5 s, and about one minute southerly, a
small red star, R. Crateris. Like most red stars, this one is a
variable. A somewhat smaller blue star may be seen in the same field.

There is another red star which may be found pretty easily at this
season. First find the stars [eta] and [omicron] Leonis, the former
forming with Regulus (now lying towards the south-west, and almost
exactly midway between the zenith and the horizon) the handle of the
Sickle in Leo, the other farther off from Regulus towards the right, but
lower down. Now sweep from [omicron] towards [eta] with a low power.[6]
There will be found a sixth-magnitude star about one-fourth of the way
from [omicron] to [eta]. South, following this, will be found a group of
four stars, of which one is crimson. This is the star R Leonis. Like R
Crateris and R Leporis it is variable.

Next, let the observer turn towards the south again. Above Corvus, in
the position shown in the Frontispiece, there are to be seen five stars,
forming a sort of wide V with somewhat bowed legs. At the angle is the
star [gamma] Virginis, a noted double. In 1756 the components were 6-1/2
seconds apart. They gradually approached till, in 1836, they could not
be separated by the largest telescopes. Since then they have been
separating, and they are now 4-1/2 seconds apart, situated as shown in
Plate 3. They are nearly equal in magnitude (4), and both pale yellow.