TAURUS (the Bull), the second constellation of the ZODIAC. Its position in the heavens, surrounded by Aries, Eridanus, Orion, and Perseus, is easily obtained by the manner in which its bright star ALDEDATUN is connected with the belt of Orion. In all speculations upon the origin of the Zodiac, Taurus must be an important object of consideration, since, at the earliest date which prudent speculation can consider it advisable to begin from, Aldebaran must have been at no great distance from the vernal equinox. [Zontec.] The figure is only a part of a bull—the head, shoulders, and fore legs. Aldebaran and the Hyades form the forehead and eye, and the Pleiades are in the shoulder. But Aratus must have drawn the figure differently, for he puts the Pleiades in the knees.
The Hyades form a group, of which five (some of the ancients said seven) are distinctly visible to the naked eye, a, 0, y, 3, and € of the constellation : there are many more in the cluster. These stars are arranged in the form of a V, a and e being the extremes, and 7 at the angular point. The star a is Aldebaran. The name seems to be derived from ;few, to rain. The Latins called them sucuke (little pigs,
no doubt meaning Aldebaran for the sow, and the others for her off spring), a name which Cicero and others state to have arisen from sup posing the Greek word to have been from iles (pigs), and not from 'our. We think, however, it may be possible that they were right in their idea of the Greek word : the large star and the cluster of small ones might very easily suggest the notion of a sow and her litter.
The Pleiades are so close a group of stars that it is very difficult to say how many are seen by the naked eye. " They are called seven," says lliginus, " but no one can see more than six ;" and six seems to be the number generally visible, though there are many more in the cluster. These stars are 17, 19, 20, 23, 25, and 26 of Flamateed. There is accordingly a supposition that some one star, once visible, has now changed its magnitude, or disappeared altogether. The name has been derived from slaw, to sail. One of the mythological stories makes these stars the daughters of Pkione and Atlas.