12 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS 



Among the most important papers accepted but still awaiting publication m the 

 Monthly Weather Review are the two following: 



(1) W. A. Bentley: '"A report on mici-ophotographs of snow crystals secured 

 diiring the \\^nter of 1901-3." For twenty years Mr. Bentley has devoted him- 

 self to the study of snow crystals. His c-ollection of microphotographs taken in 

 Jericho. Vt., siirpasses the sum total of all that has been done by all others in the 

 world, and must form the basis of all future study into the reasons for the great 

 variety of forms that occur. It seems likely that each snowflake contains within 

 itself traces of the processes that it has had to undergo in its journey from the 

 clouds to the earth. Therefore the crystals should tell us of the atmospheric con- 

 ditions in the regions whence they came. From this point of view it is evidently 

 important to encourage Mr. Bentley in his labor of love. It is to be hoped that a 

 physicist of sufficient ability may be found to associate himself with Mr. Bentley 

 in this work and to carry it on to its successful conclusion. 



(2) J. W. Handstrom: "On the construction of isobaric charts." This memoir 

 has been prepared under the general supervision of Prof. V. Bjerknes, of the Uni- 

 versity of Stockholm, and is believed to present important novelties in practical 

 meteorology. Mr. Sands tr 6m has made special iise of the splendid series of obser- 

 vations in the free air obtained by the Weather Bureau by means of the Marvin 

 kite and meteorograph, during the summer of 1898. It seems likely that his 

 studies, taken in connection with those of Professor Bigelow, will indicate the 

 proper method of utilizing daily records from kites and balloons as supplementary 

 to observations of the clouds by means of the nephoscope. Mr. Sandstrom's 

 memoir was written in G-erman.'and is now being translated by Professor Abbe 

 for publication. 



Professor Abbe states that his duties as clean of the scientific staff 

 and editor of the Monthly Weather Review liave been s^reatly light- 

 ened by the valuable assistance of Mr. H. II. Kimball as assistant 

 editor of the Review. 



The recent publication of the important "Lehrbuch der Meteor- 

 ologie," by Prof. Dr. Julius Hann, of Vienna, marks an important 

 epoch in the history of meteorology. It constitutes a fairly complete 

 summarj^ of the present condition of our knowledge in all branches 

 of observational meteorology, w^ith many valuable suggestions as to 

 the theories and explanations of the phenomena. Professor Abbe 

 has coutinued the translation of this work as rapidly as other duties 

 would permit; but it is a large undertaking and can not be finished 

 within the coming year. 



CARNEGIE INSTITUTION. 



The establishment of the Carnegie Institution for research has led the 

 trustees to address the chief of the Weather Bureau a general request 

 for suggestions as to what this institution can do for meteorology, and 

 the board of research appointed by the chief of Bureau has duly 

 reported on the subject. The trustees of the Carnegie Institution have 

 requested Professor Abbe to act as their general adviser on matters 

 pertaining to meteorology. The chief of Bureau's report to the trus- 

 tees, as also that of Professor Abbe, takes very much the same view 

 of the subject; that is, that the Carnegie Institution should occupy 

 those fields of research that are outside of the official duties of other 

 institutions, but should cooperate with them as far as possible. 



AERIAL RESEARCH. 



There has been inaugurated a programme of aerial research in the 

 upper strata of the atmosphere. Professor Abbe has been given 

 charge of this work, with the privilege of calling upon Professors 

 Marvin, Bigelow, and others for assistance. The first duty in con- 

 nection with this work has been to correspond with manufacturers of 



