212 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



to indicate a different resnlt." The antlior shows " tliat a carefnl study of 

 the annual dei)artures of temperature over many regions in ecjuatorial and 

 middle latitudes, indicates a Huetuation correspondinsi with the period of solar 

 spots. The maximum fluctuation, however, for tropical regions is only 0.13° C, 

 or, in other words, the amplitude of the change is 0.26° C, less than one-half 

 degree Fahrenheit. The corresponding fluctuation of the sun's radiation is, 

 hence, concluded to be 0.2 of 1 per cent on each side of the mean. In addition, 

 there is some inconclusive evidence of changes having a period of about six 

 years, which may be plausibly attributed to changes in solar radiation. Apart 

 from these fhanges the evidence at hand indicates that solar radiation is sub- 

 .lect to no change producing a measurable effect upon terrestrial temperature; 

 the magnetic, electric, and radio-active emanations may be left out of account, 

 as their thermal effect is inappreciable. The ordinary terrestrial phenomena 

 of temperatui-e, rainfall, and winds are thus uninfluenced by changes in the 

 sun's radiation. That wide changes of temperature may occur, as those noted 

 in 1903, when the temperature in Russia and Siberia, for example, was more 

 than 20° F. above the normal, is interesting, but it is argued that these fluctua- 

 tions can not be attributed to changes in the radiation from the sun, because 

 they do not extend to regions (i. e., the equatorial) where such changes would 

 have their greatest effect." 



Anticyclones as aids to long-distance forecasts, H. E. Rawson (Quart. Jour. 

 Roy. Met. Soc. [London], 33 {1901), No. 1J,J,, pp. 309, 310).— This is a brief sum- 

 mary of a paper recently read before the South African Association for the 

 Advancement of Science which dealt with the progressive seasonal movements 

 of the permanent anticyclones within the high-iiressure belt of the Eastern 

 Hemisphere. It is stated that " the cyclic movement of the belt will introduce 

 varying periodicities into the weather of places which are situated differently 

 with respect to the belt, and to the positions occupied in successive years by the 

 systems moving to and fro within it." 



Bulletin of the Mount Weather Observatory (U. 8. Dcpt. Agr., Bui. Mount 

 Weather Observ., 1 (1908), pt. 3, pp. 134-206, figs. 16, eharts .'/).— This number 

 contains the following articles: The Luminous Particle a Strong Magnet, and 

 the Consequent Pressure Shift of Spectral Lines, by W. J. Humphreys ; Note on 

 the Difference Between Anode and Cathode Arc-spectra, by W. J. Humphreys; 

 Temperature Inversions at the Mount Weather Observatory (illus.), by A. J. 

 Henry ; The Change of Phase Due to the Passage of Electric Waves Through 

 Thin Plates and the Index of Refraction of Water for Such Waves, with Appli- 

 cations to the Optics of Thin Films and Prisms. Part II (illus.), by W. K. Blair; 

 and Upper Air Temperatures for January, February, and March (illus.), by 

 W. R. Blair. 



The weather of Scotland in 1907, A. Watt {Trans. Highland and Agr. Soc. 

 Scot., 5. ser., 20 {1908), pp. 330-3.'/0).— " This report consists of (1) a general 

 description of the weather over Scotland from month to month; (2) a selection 

 of rainfall returns, in which each county of Scotland is represented by one or 

 more stations." 



The year was unfavorable from an agricultural standpoint. The total rain- 

 fall was about normal, but its distribution was unfavorable, excessive rains 

 occurring in May, June, August, and October in several districts. Low temper- 

 atures and absence of sunshine prevailed almost continuously from May to 

 August. 



Meteorology, P. Bonamk {Sla. Agron. Mauritius Bui. 16, pp. 1-15). — Obser- 

 vations on atmospheric pressure, tempei-ature, precipitation, humidity, and 

 evaporation in Mauritius during 1906 and 1907 are summarized. 



