METEOROLOGY WATER, 211 



WELL {Jour. fine. Chcm. Indus., 26 (1907), A"o. 5, pp. 18Jf, 185, fig. 1). — A sim- 

 plified form of Tbiele's gas generating apparatus is described. 



Apparatus for determining urea and total nitrogen, G. Lafon {Compt. 

 lieml. Soo. Biol. [Paris], 62 (1901), No. 17, pp. 899, 900. fi<j. i).— The instm- 

 meiit described is designed for use in determining urea and total nitrogen by 

 the use of liypobroniite. According to the author's investigations, accurate 

 results can be obtained witli it. 



METEOROLOGY— WATER. 



The progress of science as illustrated by the development of meteorology, 

 C. Abre (Phil. Soc. Wash. BuJ.. ^'oI. '15. pp. 27— ')6). — The author traces the 

 development of meteorology, particularly as indicated by the formation of 

 national meteorological organizations and societies for research in meteorology, 

 progress in the knowledge of elementary meteorology, and the constitution and 

 properties of the atmosphere, and especially in recent contributions to the 

 mechanics of the atmosphere by Bigelow and others. 



New problems of the weather, AY. L. Moore, W. J. Humphreys, and O. L. 

 Fassic. (V. S. Dept. Agr. Yearbook 1906, pp. 121-12',. pis. 3).— This article 

 briefly describes the equipment at the Mount Weather Observatory of the 

 Weather Bureau of this Department for the study of the upper atmosphere by 

 means of kites or captive balloons, of the relation between sun and weather by 

 means of the effect of solar radiation on terrestrial magnetism, and in experi- 

 mental physics, the latter including spectroscopic investigations in cooperation 

 with the University of Virginia. 



It is explained that this observatory has been established for the promotion 

 of "study and research leading to an increase in our knowledge of the laws 

 governing the atmosphere such as should eventually enable our successors, if 

 not ourselves, to add to the accuracy of weather forecasts and to make them 

 for a longer period in advance," for it is realized that there is little hope of 

 material improvement of practical forecasting *' until a substantial addition is 

 made to the pure science of the problem." 



Cloud-bursts, so-called, E. L. Wells (?7. S. Dept. Agr. Yearhook 1906, pp. 

 32')-32S). — The author explains the popular use of the term "cloud-bursts," 

 but states that " modern meteorologists have come to believe tJiat in many 

 instances at least the damaging floods occasioned by what are called cloud- 

 bursts are not so much a result of extraordinary and unexplained meteorolog- 

 ical phenomena as they are the result of a topography favorable to a higher 

 percentage of run-off, and a concentration of this run-off into a comparatively 

 narrow and swift-moving stream." 



The why of the weather, H. M. Watts (Jour. Franklin Inst., 16.', (1907), 

 No. 1, pp. Jf3-.'i6). — This is an abstract of a paper illustrated with lantern 

 slides in which the author developed " the general the<n'y now held by leaders 

 in the meteorological world as to the cause of variations in weather and 

 climatic conditions." 



Monthly Weather Review (Mo. Weather Rev., 35 (1907), Nos. 5, pp. 207-25.',. 

 figs. J,, eharts 0; 6, pp. 255-302, figs. 5, charts 6). — In addition to the usual 

 rei)orts on forecasts, warnings, weather and crop conditions, meteorological 

 tables and charts for the months of INIay and June, 1007, recent papers bearing 

 on meteorology, recent additions to the Weather Bureau library, bibliographical 

 notes, etc.. these numbers contain the following articles and notes : 



No. .5. — -Biograi)hic note on Dr. Alexandei- Buchan ; Besolutions Adopted at 

 the Milan (Conference for Scientific Aeronautics, trans, by A. L. Rotch ; (xuil- 

 berfs I{ules for Weather Prediction, by O. L. Fassig ; Trincijiles of Forecasting 

 the Weather, by G. Guilbert ; Observations of Ilalos at Columbia. ^lo., by 



