712 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



METEOROLOGY— WATER. 



Weather forecasting by simple methods, F. S. Granger {Nottingham, 1909, 

 pp. XII+121; rev. in Nature [London], 82 {1910), No. 2098, p. 307).— The 

 author states that the purpose of this book " is to answer the question, ' When 

 will it rain? ' in a simple and intelligible manner." It summarizes " the results 

 of the observations of more thau 50 years, made with the one object in view 

 of finding out the pui'pose of each type of cloud and atmospheric change." 

 No use is made of records of instruments, but simply of visual observations 

 on clouds, thunderstorms, diurnal breezes, haze and colors of the sky, and 

 similar phenomena. 



Variations in the distribution of atmospheric pressure in North America, 

 H. Arctowski {Bui. Aincr. Geogr. Soe., .'i2 {1910), No. ^, pp. 270-282, figs. 6). — 

 In continuation of previous studies on temperature (E. S. R., 22, p. 313), the 

 author analyzes the annual departures from the general means of pressui'e for 

 the period 1876 to 1900 at Jacobshavn, Berufjord, Stykkisholm. Tromso, Aale- 

 sund, Brussels, Pouta-Delgada, Lisbon, Madrid, Aberdeen, Valencia, Duluth, 

 Denver, Galveston, Montreal, Toronto, Washington, Nashville, and Mobile. The 

 results " suggest the existence of waves whose propagation is so slow as to take 

 2 or 3 years to cross the United States, from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast." 

 A certain correlation in pressure between North America and Iceland is traced 

 and a periodicity corresponding with the frequency of sun spots is indicated. 

 In general tbe studies on variations in pressure confirm the principal results of 

 the .studies iu temperature indicating that '" there exists a dynamical climatology 

 and [that] the study of tbe dynamics of climates is perfectly possible." 



Weather summary, L. R. Waldron and O. Grace {North Dakota Sta., Rpt. 

 Dickinson Suhsta., 1909, pp. 66, 67). — Tabular summaries of observations on 

 precipitation, temperature, and early and late frosts, 1906 to 1909, are given. 

 The mean annual temperature of 1909 was 40.2° F. as compared with the four- 

 year average of 40.3° ; the precipitation was 21.26 iu. as compared with the four- 

 year average of 15.11 in. ; the average number of days between frosts for the 

 four seasons was 103. 



Fifth annual report of the meteorolog-ical committee (Ann. Rpt. Met. Com. 

 [Gt. Brit.], 5 {1910), pp. i.'/7', pis. 10, figs. .:?).— This consists as usual of adminis- 

 trative reports regarding organization and operations (during the year ended 

 March 31, 1910) in marine meteorology, forecasts and storm warnings, climatology, 

 publications, investigation of the upper air, and miscellaneous subjects, with 

 appendixes as follows: Financial statement, supply of information to the pubHc, 

 lists of observers who sent in "excellent" meteorological logs duriug the year 

 and of logs and documents received from ships, distribution of instruments, re- 

 port on inspection of meteorological stations, and lists of persons and institu- 

 tions from whom publications and meteorological data have been received and 

 to whom publications are sent. 



The climate of Switzerland, J. Maurer, R. Billwiller and C. Hess {Das 

 Klima dcr Schweiz. Frauenfeld, 1909, vol. 1, pp. VIII+302, pis. 5, figs. 9).— This 

 book is based upon a 37-year period (1S64-1900) of observations by the Central 

 Meteorological Institute, as well as upon series of earlier observations at other 

 places in Switzerland. A brief history is given of Swiss meteorology, and data on 

 pressure, temperature, precipitation, and sunshine are summarized and discusseti 

 for Switzerland as a whole, and on temperature, humidity, cloudiness, sunshine, 

 precipitation, and wind for different sections of the country. An appendix con- 

 tains a special chapter on storms and hail. 



Climate and meteorology of Australia {Off. Yearbook Aust., 3 {1901-1909), 

 pp. 79-109. dgnis. S, itiaps 2). — This is a summary of available data on this sub- 



