394 Notices respecting Neta Booh, 



I had intended to add (have, indeed, actually written them) 

 a few remarks which are suggested by the letter of Professor 

 Rigaud ; but as they relate neither to Pappus, to Halley, nor 

 to the Porisms, I shall reserve them till the occurrence in this 

 series of a more miscellaneous set of notices. I may add, in 

 conclusion, that the next of this series will complete the 

 Nourse papers furnished me by Mr. Maynard. I only now 

 interpose this paper on Pappus, as I wish to read the proof- 

 sheets with the original before I return it to Mr. Noble. 



Shooter's Hill, 

 March 8,1850. 



XLIX. Notices respecting New Booh. 

 Hurricane Guide. By William Radcliff Birt. Murray. 



T^HIS little work is devoted to the phsenomena of revolving 

 -■• storms, and some few directions are given to seamen to avoid 

 their centres. There are also some remarks upon atmospheric waves, 

 and directions for taking meteorological observations. 



The work is divided into five chapters. The first and fifth are 

 devoted to revolving storms, and have been principally deduced from 

 Colonel Reid's Theory of Storms, The second chapter is devoted 

 to an explanation of Professor Dove's atmospheric waves, concluding 

 with an urgent request to captains and masters of ships to make 

 regular observations of the barometer, and the direction of the wind, 

 both during the day and night. As the science of meteorology to 

 seamen is of paramount importance, it is to be hoped that Mr. Birt's 

 wishes will be complied with. 



Chapter 3 is divided into five sections. The first treats of instru- 

 ments, of observations, and of their reduction. The second, of the 

 times of observation ; but no mention is here made of the necessity 

 of almost continuous observations during storms and gales of wind. 

 (See Colonel Reid's book On Storms, 2nd edit. p. 418.) This sec- 

 tion concludes with a repetition of the wish for the continuance of 

 hourly meteorological observations on the days of the equinoxes and 

 solstices. 



These observations were first begun to be taken in the year 1833, 

 and for a time they were sent to Professor Quetelet at Brussels; 

 after this they were sent to Lament at Munich ; but at present it 

 does not seem that there is any place for their reception. We know 

 that observations of this kind have been sent to Munich ; and neither 

 has their receipt been acknowledged, nor has any use been made 

 of them. If the numerous sets of these observations which have 

 been made were collected, reduced and discussed, their results would 

 be instructive, and possibly would suggest a different investigation. 

 Till this is done we can scarcely join in the wish for their continu- 

 ance. Nothing is more injurious to researches of this kind, than to 

 urge observers to make observations, and then not to use them. In 



