70 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



of Paris, that it might be considered as not existing at all. 

 Wierzbicki divides his investigation into two sections ; study- 

 ing first the influence of the synodic revolution of the moon, 

 or the time that the moon occupies in passing through all its 

 phases, and further subdividing the period of forty-five years 

 into two periods of nineteen years each, and showing that for 

 both of these periods, as well as for the entire period of forty- 

 five years, the clear weather (i. e., the number of clear days) 

 shows scarcely any trace of a connection with the phase of 

 the moon. During the lunar month, in fact, the number of 

 clear days increases and diminishes five times, and without 

 any apparent regularity. 



With regard to the rain-fall, it appears that in the first pe- 

 riod of nineteen years the maximum rain-fall occurs between 

 the first quarter and .the full moon, and the least rain-fall be- 

 tween the full moon and the last quarter. On the other 

 hand, the last period of nineteen years leads to a different 

 result ; so that, from the whole series of observations, there 

 results only a very slight indication of a connection with the 

 moon which connection, if it actually exist, would require 

 for its demonstration a series of measurements of the rain-fall 

 extending through a much longer period of years. The re- 

 sult attained by the study of the number of days on which 

 rain fell substantially agrees with that from the study of the 

 quantity of rain fallen, in showing that the moon has very 

 little, if any, influence upon processes in our atmosphere. 

 The same author, in studying the anomalistic revolution of 

 the moon, gives, by a very careful process of reasoning, two 

 conclusions different from those advocated by Schiaparelli, in 

 finding no trace of the influence of the distance of the moon 

 from the earth upon meteorological phenomena. Jahrbuch 

 K.K. Centr.Anstalt Meteor., 1873. 



MARITIME METEOROLOGY. 



The interest which has increased so rapidly during the 

 past few years in reference to maritime meteorology gives 

 additional value to the sixth annual report of the North Ger- 

 man Nautical Institute, the well-known Seewarte at Ham- 

 burg. The steady development which this institution has 

 experienced, under the energetic directorship of Von Freeden, 

 is manifested in the engagement of almost twice the former 



