14 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



WiLsiNG, J., Effektive Temperaturen von 199 helleren Sternen nach Spek- 



tralphotometrischen Messungen, Pub. Astroph. Obs. zu Potsdam, 24, 



No. I, 1919. 

 Wolf, M., Der Ringnebel und der Dumbnebel, Sitzmigs. der Heidelbergen 



Akad. der Wissens., i Abhand, 1915. 

 Rhijn, p. J. VAN, On the Brightness of the Sky at Night and the Total 



Amount of StarHght, Astroph. Journ., 50, 356, 1919- 



Miscellaneous. 



MiCHELSON, A. A., and Gale, H. G., The Rigidity of the Earth, Astroph. 



Journ., 50, 330, 1919. 

 Dreyer, J. L. E., On the Original Form of the Alphonsine Tables, M.N., 



R.A.S., 80, 243, 1920. 

 Chapman, S., Terrestrial Magnetic Variations and their Connection with 



Solar Emissions which are Absorbed in the Earth's Outer Atmosphere, 



Trans. Camb. Phil. Soc, 22, 341, 1919. 

 Kaiser, F., Uber die Interpolationsmethode bei photographischen Himmels- 



aufnalimen, 210, No. 5039, 1920. 

 Burns, K., The Solar Spectrum in the Region 9,000 A to 9,900 A, Lick 



Obs. Bull., 10, No. 327, 1920. 

 Wolf, M., Cber die Spektren der Wolf-Rayet Sterne, Sitzungs. der Heidel- 

 bergen Akad. der Wissens., 14 Abh., 1915. 



METEOROLOGY. By E. V. Newnham, B.Sc, Meteorological Office, 

 London. 



The Characteristics of the Free Atmosphere (W. H. Dines, F.R.S., 

 Geophysical Memoirs, No. 13). — ^This Report summarises much 

 of the information concerning the physics of the atmosphere 

 up to a height of about 20 km., that had been obtained up 

 to 1 91 6 by means of free balloons carrying self-recording 

 instruments. Of the observations made in this way, about 

 90 per cent, have been obtained in Europe. 



Temperature. — A table is given showing the mean for the 

 whole year for every kilometre of height up to 14 km. for a 

 number of European stations between the latitudes of Petro- 

 grad and Pavia (Italy), and also for about lat. 43° N. in 

 Canada. A second table shows the mean vertical gradient 

 of temperature for the same places. A very evident feature 

 is the lower value of the temperature at the more northern 

 stations up to 8 or 10 km., and the higher temperature above 

 that height. The maximum gradient or lapse-rate of 7-4° C. 

 per km. occurs between 7 and 8 km. Above that height the 

 rate falls off to practically nothing above about 12 km., this 

 change taking place at a lower level for northern than for 

 southern stations. The comparatively scanty information 

 from near the equator {Monthly Weather Review, Nov. 191 5) 

 shows that the mean temperature does not reach its lowest 

 value there until a height of 17 km. is reached. The value 

 of 193° A. for this height is far colder than the mean for the 

 same height in Europe, which is 219° A. The table for mean 

 monthly temperatures shows that the seasonal variation is 



