  BY D. W. BELISLE. COMA BERENICES.—This is a beautiful cluster of small stars, situated about five degrees east of the equinoctial colure, and midway between Cor-Caroli on the north-east, and Denebola on the south-west. The stars that compose this group are small, but very bright, and are in close proximity to each other; therefore the cluster is readily distinguished from all others. There is a number of small nebulÆ in this assemblage, which give it a faintly luminous appearance, somewhat resembling the milky-way. The whole number of stars in this cluster is forty-three. It comes to the meridian on the 13th of May. This constellation is of Egyptian origin. Berenice was married to Evergetes, King of Egypt, and, on his going out to battle against the Assyrians, she vowed to dedicate her hair, which was of extraordinary beauty, to the goddess of beauty, if her lord returned in safety. Evergetes returned victorious, and, agreeably to her oath, her locks were shorn and deposited in the temple of Venus, whence they shortly disappeared, and the king and queen were assured by Conon, the astronomer, that they had been taken from the altar by Jupiter and placed among the stars; and, to convince them of the truth of his assertion, pointed out this cluster, and "There Berenice's locks first rose so bright, The heavens bespangling with dishevelled light." This group being among the unformed stars until that time, and not known as a constellation, the king became satisfied with the declaration of Conon, who, pointing to the group, said, "There, behold the locks of our queen." Berenice was not only reconciled to this petty larceny of Jupiter, but was proud of the partiality of the god. Callimachus, who flourished before the Christian era, thus adverts to it— "Immortal Conon, blest with skill divine, Amid the sacred skies beheld me shine; E'en me, the beauteous hair, that lately shed Refulgent beams from Berenice's head; The locks she fondly vowed, with lifted arms, Imploring all the powers to save from harm Her dearer lord, when from his bride he flew, To wreak stern vengeance on the Assyrian crew." CORVUS.—This small constellation is situated east of the Cup, and may be readily distinguished by four bright stars of the third magnitude, which form a trapezium; the two upper ones being three and a half degrees apart, and the two lower ones six degrees apart. Algorab, the most eastern star of these four, forms the east wing of the Crow, and comes to the meridian on the 13th of May. Beta, in the foot of the Crow, is seven degrees south of Algorab, and is the brighter of the two lower stars; and on the left, six degrees west of Beta, is Epsilon, which marks the neck, while two degrees below it is Al Chiba, a star of the fourth magnitude, which marks the head. This constellation is of Greek origin, and it is gravely asserted by their ancient historians that this bird was originally of the purest white, but was changed, for tale-bearing, to its present color. "The raven once in snowy plumes was drest, White as the whitest dove's unsullied breast, Fair as the guardian of the capitol, Soft as the swan, a fair and lovely fowl; His tongue, his prating tongue, had changed him quite To sooty blackness from the purest white." Apollo, becoming jealous of Coronis, sent a crow to watch her movements. The bird discovered her partiality for Ischys, and immediately acquainted the god with it, which so fired his indignation: that "The color left his look, The wreath his head, the harp his hand forsook; His silvered bow and feathered shafts he took, And lodged an arrow in the tender breast That had so often to his own been prest." To reward the crow, he placed it among the constellations. Other Greek mythologists assert that it takes its name from a princess of Phocis, who was transformed into a crow by Minerva to rescue the maid from the pursuit of Neptune. One of the Latin poets reverts to it thus— "For, as my arms I lifted to the skies, I saw black feathers from my fingers rise; I strove to fling my garments on the ground, My garments turned to plumes and girt me round; My hands to beat my naked bosom try, Nor naked bosom now nor hands had I; Lightly I tripped, nor weary, as before, Sunk in the sand, but skimmed along the shore, Till, rising on my wings, I was preferred To be the chaste Minerva's virgin bird." VIRGO.—This constellation lies directly south of Coma Berenice, and east of Leo. It occupies considerable space in the heavens, and contains one hundred and ten stars. It comes to the meridian the 23d of this month. Spica Virginis, which marks the left hand of the Virgin, is a star of the first magnitude, and is of great brilliancy, and, with Denebola in Leo, and Arcturus in BoÖtes, forms a large equilateral triangle, which, joined with Cor-Caroli, a star of the same brilliancy, at an equal distance north, forms the Diamond of Virgo. The stars in this diamond are of equal brilliancy, rendering it one of the most clearly defined and most beautiful figures in this part of the heavens. This constellation is probably of Egyptian origin. A zodiac discovered among the ruins of Estne, in Egypt, commences with Virgo, and, according to the regular progression of the equinoxes, this zodiac must be two thousand years older than that at Dendera. This relic of the earliest ages of the human species is conjectured to have been preserved during the deluge by Noah, to perpetuate the actual appearance of the heavens immediately subsequent to the creation. The Athenians also claim the origin of this constellation, maintaining that Erigone was changed into Virgo. Erigone was the daughter of Icarius, an Athenian, who was slain by some peasants whom he had intoxicated with wine; and it caused such a feeling of despair in Erigone, that she repaired to the wood and hung herself on the bough of a tree. "Thus once in Marathon's impervious wood, Erigone beside her father stood, When, hastening to discharge her pious vow, She loosed the knot and culled the strongest bough." ASTERION ET CHARA.—This is a modern constellation, and embraces two in one. It lies north of Coma Berenice, and west of Bootes, and comes to the meridian the 20th of May. Cor-Caroli is the brightest star in this group, and marks Chara, the southern hound. Asterion is north of this, and is marked by a small star about three degrees above Cor-Caroli. These two hounds are represented as chasing the Great Bear around the Pole, being held in a leash by Bootes, who is constantly urging them on in their endless track. The remaining stars in this group are too small and scattered to excite interest. URSA MAJOR.—This constellation is situated between Ursa Minor on the north, and Leo Minor on the south, and is one of the most conspicuous in the northern hemisphere. It has been an object of observation in all ages of the world. The shepherds of Chaldea, Magi of Persia, priests of Belus, Phoenician navigators, Arabs of Asia, and American aborigines seem to have been equally struck with its peculiar outlines, and each gave to the group a name which signified, in their respective languages, the same thing—Great Bear. It is somewhat remarkable that nations which had no knowledge or communication with each other should have given the same name to this constellation. The name is perfectly arbitrary, there being no resemblance in it whatever to a bear or any other animal. This cluster is remarkable for seven of its brightest stars forming a dipper, four stars forming the bowl, and three, curving slightly, shaping the handle. These seven stars are of uncommon brilliancy, and need no description to point out their locality. The whole number of stars in this group is eighty-seven, and it comes to the meridian the 10th of May. Decorated Line
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