William Herschel discovered NGC 4371 = H I-22 = h1235 on 15 Mar 1784 (sweep 174) and noted "pB, not vL." There is nothing at his position, but 45 seconds of RA west is UGC 7493. Several nebulae discovered that night including NGCs 3810, 4067, 4294, 4313, 4352, 4368 and 4429 have comparable errors so this identification is very likely. John Herschel made 4 observations, the earliest on 10 Apr 1825, his second formal sweep.

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/18/87): bright, small, sharp concentration with a very small very bright core, stellar nucleus, diffuse outer halo elongated E-W.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb