378 SCIENTIFIC RECORD FOR 1882. 



sary scientific instruments for the various expeditions before starting. 

 {Nature, March 3, 1881, xxiii, p. 420.) 



A meteorological observatory lias been erected at Portau-Priuce, 

 Hayti, under the care of Rev. Father Wick, on ground granted by 

 the state. It is an octagon of two stories and a platform. Besides 

 the indispensable instrument it has electric clocks (for communicating 

 time to clocks outside), telephones, microphones, phonograjihs, radiom- 

 eters, &c. [Nature, March 31, 1881, xxiii, p. 516.) 



A meteorological conference was held at Sydney in November, 1879, 

 the representatives of the different colonies being Messrs. James Hec- 

 tor, of New Zealand, Charles Todd, of South Australia, E. L. J. EUery, 

 of Victoria, and H. C Eussell of New South Wales. The whole ques- 

 tion of weather telegrams was under consideration. The system then 

 in operation embraced only the colonies of South Australia, Victoria, 

 New South Wales, and Queensland, but a resolution was passed declar- 

 ing it desirable to secure the co-operation of the Governments of West- 

 ern Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand in the system of intercolonial 

 weather telegrams. The conference voted that weather telegrams and 

 forecasts shall in all cases depend ui)on the observations used for gen- 

 eral meteorological and cliinatological statistics. Much emphasis was 

 laid on the establishment of high-level stations with a more special view 

 to the investigation of the winds, and the conference recommended that 

 there be established in each of the colonies, upon a high mountain ])eak, 

 a meteorological observatory for the special study of winds and other 

 meteorological phenomena. (Nature, xxii, p. IGO.) 



Prof. Sophus Tromholt, of Bergen, Norway, writes that in order to 

 get nearer, if possible, to the unraveling of the mysteries of the au- 

 rora borealis, he has in the course of the last two years endeavored to 

 procure a greater number of observations of this phenomenon in Nor- 

 way, Sweden, and Denmark. He has succeeded in engaging through- 

 out the above-named countries several hundreds of observers, who, led 

 only by scientific interest, have given him their assistance, and from whom 

 he has already received a considerable amount of information. These 

 observations are to be continued, as there is reason to suppose tliat the 

 aurora borealis in the near future "will appear much more frequently 

 than has been the case during the last years. Finland and Iceland will 

 also now be drawn within the circle, and it would be most desirable that 

 similar observations were made also in Great Britain, which country, 

 especially in the maximum years of the appearance of the aurora bore- 

 alis, certainly would yield characteristic contributions in this respect. 

 He therefore invites friends of science to make such observations in 

 accordance with the system which he has introduced in Scandina\ia. 

 A schedule for recording observations, along with the necessary instruc- 

 tions, will be sent to any one who desires them. {Nature, xxii, j). 192.) 



Miss Pogson has been appointed meteorological reporter to the gov- 

 ernment of the Madras Presidency, India. 



