﻿JAN. 
  19, 
  1922 
  abstracts: 
  ornithology 
  43 
  

  

  Since 
  this 
  ratio, 
  like 
  the 
  direction 
  of 
  the 
  major 
  axis, 
  is 
  subject 
  to 
  a 
  

   correction 
  for 
  the 
  yielding 
  of 
  the 
  ocean 
  waters 
  under 
  the 
  centrifugal 
  

   force 
  arising 
  from 
  the 
  variation 
  of 
  latitude 
  itself, 
  no 
  precise 
  results 
  

   are 
  stated 
  in 
  this 
  connection 
  as 
  the 
  definitive 
  results 
  of 
  the 
  investiga- 
  

   tion 
  until 
  this 
  correction 
  can 
  be 
  investigated 
  and 
  applied. 
  The 
  

   important 
  points 
  are 
  (1) 
  that, 
  contrary 
  to 
  Wanach's 
  implied 
  opinion, 
  

   there 
  is 
  some 
  prospect 
  of 
  getting 
  information 
  regarding 
  the 
  moments 
  

   of 
  inertia 
  and 
  the 
  figure 
  of 
  the 
  Earth 
  out 
  of 
  the 
  observations 
  of 
  the 
  

   variation 
  of 
  latitude; 
  and 
  (2) 
  that 
  the 
  results 
  so 
  far 
  obtained 
  confirm 
  

   in 
  a 
  general 
  way 
  the 
  results 
  of 
  Helmert 
  from 
  gravity 
  observations. 
  

  

  The 
  principal 
  results 
  of 
  this 
  investigation 
  may 
  be 
  summed 
  up 
  as 
  the 
  

   prospect 
  just 
  mentioned 
  of 
  getting 
  data 
  on 
  the 
  figure 
  of 
  the 
  Earth 
  out 
  

   of 
  the 
  latitude 
  observations, 
  and 
  the 
  conclusion 
  previously 
  discussed 
  

   that 
  the 
  increase 
  in 
  latitude 
  at 
  Ukiah 
  is 
  due 
  partly 
  to 
  the 
  declinations 
  

   used, 
  being 
  to 
  that 
  extent 
  unreal, 
  and 
  partly 
  due 
  to 
  a 
  shifting 
  of 
  the 
  

   North 
  Pole 
  towards 
  the 
  American 
  continent. 
  

  

  ABSTRACTS 
  

  

  Authors 
  of 
  scientific 
  papers 
  are 
  requested 
  to 
  see 
  that 
  abstracts 
  preferably 
  prepared, 
  

   and 
  signed 
  by 
  themselves, 
  are 
  forwarded 
  promptly 
  to 
  the 
  editors. 
  The 
  abstracts 
  should 
  

   conform 
  in 
  length 
  and 
  general 
  style 
  to 
  these 
  appearing 
  in 
  this 
  issue. 
  

  

  OCEANOGRAPHY. 
  — 
  Tidal 
  observations 
  off 
  the 
  entrance 
  to 
  Delaware 
  Bay. 
  

   H. 
  A. 
  Marmer. 
  Journ. 
  Franklin 
  Inst. 
  191: 
  819-821. 
  1921. 
  

  

  This 
  paper 
  discusses 
  the 
  results 
  of 
  a 
  forty-hour 
  series 
  of 
  offshore 
  tidal 
  

   observations 
  made 
  on 
  Five 
  Fathom 
  Bank, 
  about 
  18 
  nautical 
  miles 
  off 
  the 
  

   entrance 
  to 
  Delaware 
  Bay, 
  by 
  a 
  hydrographic 
  party 
  of 
  the 
  Coast 
  and 
  Geodetic 
  

   Survey. 
  Special 
  interest 
  attaches 
  to 
  this 
  series 
  of 
  observations, 
  because 
  of 
  its 
  

   being 
  made 
  at 
  some 
  distance 
  from 
  the 
  coast 
  and 
  also 
  because 
  of 
  the 
  simple 
  

   and 
  inexpensive 
  tide 
  gauge 
  used. 
  At 
  present 
  our 
  knowledge 
  of 
  the 
  time 
  and 
  

   range 
  of 
  the 
  tide 
  away 
  from 
  the 
  coast 
  is 
  extremely 
  meager, 
  since 
  tidal 
  observa- 
  

   tions 
  have 
  been 
  confined 
  almost 
  wholly 
  to 
  the 
  immediate 
  vicinity 
  of 
  the 
  coast. 
  

  

  A 
  description 
  of 
  the 
  tide 
  gauge 
  inprovised 
  for 
  observing 
  the 
  height 
  of 
  the 
  

   tide 
  is 
  described 
  and 
  the 
  results 
  compared 
  with 
  simultaneous 
  tidal 
  observations 
  

   at 
  Breakwater 
  Harbor, 
  Delaware, 
  about 
  23 
  miles 
  west 
  of 
  Five 
  Fathom 
  Bank. 
  

   The 
  cotidal 
  hour 
  as 
  determined 
  from 
  these 
  observations 
  agrees 
  well 
  with 
  the 
  

   cotidal 
  lines 
  for 
  this 
  region 
  constructed 
  by 
  Harris 
  from 
  theoretical 
  consider- 
  

   ations. 
  H. 
  A. 
  M. 
  

  

  ORNITHOLOGY. 
  — 
  Washington 
  region 
  [February 
  and 
  March, 
  ig2o]. 
  H. 
  C. 
  

   Oberholser. 
  Bird 
  Lore 
  22: 
  167. 
  1920. 
  

   Notwithstanding 
  a 
  backward 
  spring, 
  birds 
  appeared 
  about 
  Washington 
  

   in 
  about 
  their 
  usual 
  numbers 
  and 
  at 
  about 
  their 
  usual 
  time 
  during 
  February 
  

   and 
  March, 
  1920. 
  The 
  European 
  Starling 
  {Sturnus 
  vulgaris 
  vulgaris) 
  has 
  

   become 
  thoroughly 
  established 
  in 
  the 
  vicinity 
  of 
  Washington. 
  Without 
  

  

  