TERRESTRIAL MAGNETISM — BAUER. 237 



Algeria. The great interest in this investigation generally among magne- 

 ticians is evidenced by the fact that in addition to the stations reported as par- 

 ticipating in the last annual report of the Department observations have now 

 been further received from 38 stations and are in the course of reduction. 



Professors Elster and Geitel and Dr. Harms have made a full report on 

 the atmospheric electricity observations made by them under the auspices of 

 the Department at Palma, Majorca. This report has already been printed in 

 the journal Terrestrial Magnetism and Atmospheric Electricity, March, 1906. 



The Department has also been favored by a report from Dr. H. Ebert on 

 his atmospheric electricity observations at Palma, Majorca, which has been 

 published in the December, 1905, number of the journal referred to above. 



Two reports on the observations at Tripoli, Algeria, made by Professors 

 Palazzo and Oddone, under the auspices of the Department, have been 

 received and a third is in preparation. 



Miscellaneous. — A card index of all observatories and institutions either 

 engaged or interested in magnetic work has been prepared. The card cata- 

 logue of publications and investigations in terrestrial magnetism and atmos- 

 pheric electricity and allied subjects has been continued, as also the collection 

 of information as to work accomplished and proposed. 



The preparation of the "Scientific report of the Ziegler Polar Expedition" 

 for publication and the reduction of the observations, owing to the appoint- 

 ment of Mr. W. J. Peters, in charge of the scientific work of that expedition, 

 to the command of the Magnetic Survey vessel Galilee, were undertaken 

 under the auspices of the Department under the direction of Mr. J. A. Flem- 

 ing. The expense incurred was chiefly borne by the Ziegler estate. Mr. 

 Fleming, with the aid of temporarily employed assistants, made such good 

 progress that the printed report is expected to appear about the end of the 

 present year. 



In connection with studies for the improvement of methods of observa- 

 tion and computation at sea, Mr. G. W. Littlehales, consulting hydrographer, 

 prepared an article upon the probable error of the determination of position 

 at sea by the methods at present used, as also such other reports as were 

 required for the work of the Galilee. Various special computations and 

 investigations of formulae have been made as the occasion arose in the reduc- 

 tion of the sea observations. 



From time to time during the year numerous abstracts and reviews of the 

 current literature along the lines of the work of the Department have been 

 prepared and published by its members. Chief among these are the reviews 

 of articles on atmospheric electricity by Mr. J. E. Burbank appearing in 

 the ]\Iarch, June, and September issues of the current volume of the journal 

 Terrestrial Magnetism and Atmospheric Electricity. Various articles have 

 also been prepared during the year on the work and progress of the work of 

 the Department for different journals. 



