For 121 southern stars of spectral types between 05 and A3, including 35 supergiants, equivalent widths and values of ve sini have been measured for absorption lines on direct-intensity tracings of coudé spectrograms from Mount Stromlo, with original dispersion 150 microns per angstrom. For stars of a particular temperature and luminosity class, the strength of the hydrogen lines is weaker and the triplet helium lines stronger in fast rotators than in sharp-lined objects which are rotating more slowly. Full details are in print (Monthly Notices Roy. Astron. Soc. 144 (1969), 1): subsequent papers in press present detailed profiles of the Balmer lines for 23 slowly rotating stars and details of emission features shown by several fast rotators.

The investigation is being continued with spectrograms of northern B stars secured at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, supported in part by grant GP-13544 from the National Science Foundation.