METEOROLOGY. 675 



The greatest difference in temperature between day and night regis- 

 tered at the station in 5 years was 13° F. The lowest temperature 

 recorded was 21° F. 



The number of sunless days is rarely more than about 40 during the 

 year, uotwithLstandiug the fact that the rainfall is from 25 to 54 in. 

 annuall3^ Fogs do not originate at the station but come up from the 

 valley, and snow is little known. 



Meteorological observations at Berkeley, California, A. O. 

 Leusciinee and F. H. Seares {California Sfa. lip't. 1^95, p. 307). — 

 A sj'nopsis of observations for 3 years ending June 30, 1895, on air 

 pressure, temperature, precipitation, humidity, cloudiness, and direction 

 of wind. The summary for the year ending June 30, 1895, is as follows : 



Pressure (inches) : Mean, 30.033; highest, 30.435 (Feb. 16) ; lowest, 29.432 (Jau. 16). 

 Temperature (°F.): Mean of the year, 53.8; maximum, 93 (Aug. 26); minimum, 34 

 (Jan. 24). Precijrtto/fon (inches) : Total rainfall, 39.008; dew and fog, 0.077. Humid- 

 ity (per cent): Maximum, 97 (Oct. 23, Jan. 8, Feb. 12); minimum, 36 (Dec. 12). 

 Weather: Number of clear days, 215; number of fair days, 76; number of cloudy 

 days, 74; number of foggy days, 95; number of days on which rain fell, 55. 



Agricultural meteorology, F. Marie-Daw {Jour. Agr. Prat., 61 {1S97), I, No. 3, 

 pp. SS-92). — A summary for December and for the year 1896 of observations at Paris 

 on temperature, pressure, humidity, cloudiness, and winds. The year was the wet- 

 test (705 mm. precipitation) in two centuries, 1804, with 703 mm., being the nearest 

 approach to it during this period. 



The origin of the stratus clouds and some suggested changes in the interna- 

 tional methods of cloud measurement, J. H. Clayton (Nature, 5'> (1S96), No. 

 141S,pp. 197,198). 



Hoar frost especially rich in nitrogen, A. Lancastek {Cid et Terre, 17 {1896), 

 p. 54 ; ahs. in U, S. Dept. Agr., Weather Bureau, Monthly Weather Review, .'4 {1896), No. 

 10, p. 371). — Data obtained by Petermann and Graftiau at Gembloux are reported, 

 which show that melted frost contains about 7.5 mg. of nitrogen per liter, and that 

 the amount of nitrogen supplied to the soil by a single ordinary frost may amount 

 to 7 lbs. per acre. In cases of heavy frost the amount is much greater. 



Weather report for Penis, Riverside County, California {California Sla. Rpt. 

 189.7, p. 16). — A tabulated daily summary of observations on temperature, rainfall, 

 and casual phenomena for the G months ending March 31, 1895. 



Monthly Weather Review {U. S. Dept. Agr., Weather Bureau, Monthly Weather 

 Ber'unv, 24 {1896), Nos. 8-11, pp. 281-442, figs. 2, charts 24). — Besides the usual sum- 

 maries of ol)servations, No. 8 contains special articles on experiments with kites at 

 San Francisco, California, by W. H. Hammon, and on the heated term from July 28 

 to August 7, 1896, by H. A. Hazen ; and notes by the editor on Mexican climatological 

 data and periodicitj' of good and bad seasons. 



No. 9 contains special articles on the wind rush of September 29, 1896, by H. A. 

 Hazen ; kite experiments at the Blue Hill meteorological observatory and a high 

 kite ascension at Blue Hill, by S. P. Fergusson; instructions for taking phenological 

 observations, by L. H. Bailey (see p. 672); progressive movement of thunderstorms, 

 by A. J. Henry; low pressure in St. Louis tornado, by J. Baier; early experiments 

 in atmospheric electricity, by C. E. West; and the International Meteorological 

 Conference in Pari.s, by R. H. Scott; and notes by the editor on Espy and the 

 Franklin kite club, isobars and their accuracy, the first attempt to measure wind 

 force, and barograni near a hurricane center. 



No. 10 contains S])ecial articles on tlie International Meteorological Conference at 

 Paris, September 1896; and the International Hydrological, Climatological, and 



