METEOROLOGY — WATER. 711 



be More Generally Used in Makius Meteorological Observations, by A. de 

 Quervain; Biographic Note on Herman Declercq Stearns, by G. A. Clarlc; The 

 Lagging of Tempei'ature Changes at Great Heights Behind Those at the 

 F]arth's Sui'face and Types of Pressure Changes at Different Levels (111ns.), by 

 H. H. Clayton; Our Present Knowledge Regarding the Heat of Evaporation of 

 Water (illus.), by A. W. Smith (see \>. 704) : Interesting Old Meteorological Lit- 

 erature; Fire at Mount Weather. Va.; Ice Columns in (Jravelly Soil, and Studies 

 on the Vortices in the Atmosphere of the Earth (illus.), by F. H. Bigelow. 



Meteorolog'y [of the Transvaal], edited by L. V. Praagh (TIk- Transvaal 

 and Itx MinvH. London and Johanncshurg, 1906, pp. 90-93, figs. 6). — The char- 

 acteristic features of the meteorology of the Transvaal are presented in sum- 

 mary tables and brief descriptive notes. On account of the absence of marine 

 influence the climate of the Transvaal is very dry and the pro]iortion of sun- 

 shine large. 



The country consists topographically of a series of three plateaux, the low 

 veld, ranging from tiOO to 1,500 ft., with a tropical and subtropical climate; 

 the middle veld, which is fairly well wooded, ranging from 1,500 to 4,000 ft., 

 and ^the high veld, a treeless rolling i»lain exceeding in elevation 4,000 ft. 



As a result of these variations in altitude there is an extreme variation in 

 temperatui'e. The mean ainiunl temjierature ranges from 57 to 70° F., the 

 mean monthly temperature from 50 to 70°, tlie mean summer temperature from 

 09.5 to 72.5°, and the mean winter temperature from 5.3.0 to 04°. The tempera- 

 ture variation for the low veld is greater than for the other plateaux. The 

 absolute maximum temi^erature recorded for the low veld during 1004-5 was 

 108° F., for the middle veld !»0 to 104°, and for the high veld 84 to 92°, with 

 the minimum for the low veld 33°, for the middle veld 22 to 37°, and for the 

 high veld 18 to 23°. The mean annual temperature was for the low veld 74.9°, 

 for the middle veld 64.8 to 07.5°, and for the high veld 55.6 to 60.9°. 



As regards rainfall, the seasons are divided into wet and dry, the wet season 

 beginning with October and ending with March. Sudden and violent thunder- 

 storms are of frequent occurrence near the beginning and end of the rainy sea- 

 son. The winter season (May to the middle of September) corresponds sub- 

 stantially with the dry season, and is the most pleasant portion of the year. 

 The mean annual rainfall at 24 stations during 1903—1 was 32.16 in., ranging 

 from 23.37 to 53.61 in. Tlie mean for 14 years at Pretoria was 26.31 in. During 

 1904-5 the annual rainfall at 7 stations varied from 13.09 to 29.85 in., the aver- 

 age being 21.18 in. 



As would be exi)ected evaiwratiou is high, being approximately three times 

 the rainfall. Snow occasionally falls on the high veld, and during summer 

 (October to ^Larch) violent and destructive hailstorms frequently occur. The 

 lirevailing wind direction is NNW. A south wind usually brings rain, but 

 thunderstorms come on a northwest wind. Heavy dust storms not infrequently 

 riffur in many parts of the coijntry dui-ing winter. The atmospheric pressure 

 is remarkably uniform, the maximum yearly range being about i in. 



Work of the meteorological station during 1906, G. LDstner {Ber. K. 

 Lehranst. H>//f, Ohst ii. (laricnhaii, GciscnJieim, J90G, pp. 279-286). — Observa- 

 tions on atmospheric ju-essure. temperature, rainfall, cloudiness, humidity, dii'ec- 

 tion and force of wind, sunshine, etc., at the meteorological observatory of the 

 Royal School for Wine, Fruit, and (iarden Culture at (Jeisenheim are summar- 

 ized. Notes on phenological observations during the year are also briefly re- 

 ported. 



British rainfall, 1906, IT. R. Mir.i, (London, 1907. pp. 100 + 2S0, pis. 5. figs. 

 12; rev. in Suture \ London]. 71! (1907), No. WHO, p. .j,S7).— This report is as 

 usual compiled :"vom observations by a large number (4,267) of voluntary ob- 



