A Search for an Emission‐Line Region in the Hydrogen‐deficient Carbon Star HD 182040

A long‐exposure short‐wavelengthIUEspectrum of the hydrogen‐deficient carbon (HdC) star HD 182040 does not show any detectable emission in the Ciiλ1335 line. It is not certain whether this absence of emission is intrinsic or due to the large uncertainties in the distance, absolute luminosity, and reddening toward HD 182040. If intrinsic, this absence of emission along with the absence of an IR excess from circumstellar dust imply that little or no mass loss is occurring at present from this star even though it is very similar spectroscopically to the R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars. This result also suggests that the emission‐line gas and the circumstellar dust may result from the same mass‐loss mechanism in the RCB stars.