14 EXPEEIMENT STATION BECOBD. 



giving copious references to literature and full reviews of investigations has 

 been adhered to. A very thorough revision bringing the book well up to date 

 has been made, the associate author assisting in the work of general correction 

 and contributing new chapters relating to temperature of the upper air, aerologj-. 

 cloud forms, and atmospheric electricity. 



The practical utility of a world bureau of meteorology, W. M. Hays and 

 H. H. Clayton {Symons' Met. Mag., 49 {19U), Xo. 5S6, pp. 176-178).— The 

 advantages of such a bureau are set forth. The first of these is " to increase 

 materially the value of the crop estimates of each country, and also of the 

 world area estimates by taking account of the influences of meteorological hap- 

 penings as soon after their occurrences as possible. The second is to unify and 

 greatly improve the meteorological service of each country and of the entire 

 world." 



Climatic subdivisions of the United States, R. DeC. Wabd (Bui. Amer. 

 Gcorg. Soc, 47 {1915), No. 9, pp. 672-680, figs. 5). — Various .schemes of sub- 

 division which have bi'en proposeil by others are nottxl and the es.sentials of 

 .such a scheme are defined. It is state<l that climatic variations in the Unite«l 

 States are meridional rather than latitudinal. It is held that the subdivisions 

 adopted by the Weather Bureau of the U. S. Department of Agriculture in its 

 publications should be used unless there is some very good reason to the con- 

 trary. 



Three great natural topographical and climatic subdivisions of the United 

 States are defined as follows: "(1) The eastorn, embracing about one-half of 

 the whole area, extending from east of the Rtx-kj- Mountains to the Atlantic 

 Ocean and Gulf of Mexico; (2) the western mountjun and plateau district; and 

 (3) the narrow Pacific slope." Five climatic subdivisions are described as 

 follows : Eastern, Gulf, Plains. Plateau, and Pacific. 



Seasonal limits, F. J. Bbodie {Symomi' Met. Mag., 49 {1914), Xo. 586, pp. 

 182, 183). — The author maintains that the present designation of the seasons 

 as comprising groups of .seasons of three months each is un.satisfactory, ami 

 recommends as a substitute therefor "periods bounded by weeks, assigning, 

 moreover, a longer period to the sunnner and winter than to the spring and 

 autumn." 



On the occurrence of lunar periods in solar activity and the climate of 

 the earth, O. Pettersson {Svenska Hydrograf. Biol. Kom. Shrift., 5 [1915], 

 pp. 20, pi. 1, figs. 36). — From the studies reported in detail in this article, the 

 author concludes " that our climate underlies an evolution with cyclical changes 

 ruled by lunar periods. . . . This holds not only for the Scandinavian countries 

 but ... for that part of Europe which underlies the influence of the Atlantic 

 ocean. The oceanic circulation is the vehicle of the cosmic agent** which rule 

 our climate." 



Data are presented to show that there is a connection between the sun-sj-tot 

 periods and variations in climate and weather, both phenomena being " caui*e<l 

 by changes in the position of the moon's and the earth's orbit, the axes of these 

 orbits periodically taking up symmetrical, i. e., parallel, and asymmetrical, i. o.. 

 oblique, positions relative to each other." 



Distribution and variations in the mean air pressure over Europe, O. 

 Fbeybe {Laudw. Jnhrb., 47 {1914), Xo. 5, pp. 789-S21, figs. 76).— This subject 

 Is treated witli reference to its bearing uiwn weather changes and weather 

 predictions. 



Report on meteorological observations at Wisley, 1914. R. H. CtTiTi« 

 {Jour. Roy. Hort. Koc, 41 {1915), Xo. 1, pp. 7.J-S7, figs. .J).— The weather con- 

 ditions of each month of the year are .summarized and comparisons made witb 

 the normal. 



