Integrated light spectra, obtained at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) at La Silla, Chile, of the three brightest globular clusters of the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxy, allow determination, by cross-correlation techniques, of the projected core velocity dispersions, with values σ_p_(core) = 8.8(+1.0,-1.1), 5.1(+1.0, -1.2), and 7.0(+ 1.1, - 1.3) km s^-1^ for the clusters 3, 4, and 5, respectively. The corresponding estimates of the mass-to-light ratios, viz. M/L_V_ = 3.2 +/- 0.8, 1.7 +/- 0.8, and 5.2 +/- 1.9(M/L_V_)_sun_, are similar to the typical M/L_V_ values obtained for Galactic globular clusters. From the point of view of theories of cluster formation and evolution, such a similarity is worth noticing, given the fact that the present-day environments of globular clusters in the Galaxy and in the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxy appear so different. From the total area of the cross-correlation function of the integrated light spectra, metallicity estimates can be derived with an accuracy of 0.15 dex. We obtain values of [Fe/H] equal to - 1.93, - 1.35, and - 1.89 for the Fornax clusters 3, 4, and 5, respectively. These results, in excellent agreement with earlier determinations, confirm the existence of a large metallicity range among the Fornax globular clusters and strengthen the evidence that Fornax has a rather complex history of star and cluster formation, unexpected for such a low-mass galaxy.
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Dubath et al. (1992) studied this question.