216 PROGRESS OF METEOROLOGY IN 1889. 



in which descriptive meteorology is the principal purpose of the author. 

 Many important climatic facts have been garnered and the value of the 

 work is increased by good maps and illustrations. 



Das Klima des ausser-tropischen !Sudafrica, by Dr. Karl Dove, Gott- 

 ingen, 1888. — This book describes the climate of a large region, much 

 of which is but little known. The area is divided into four great districts 

 classified according to the period of occurrence of the rainy season, viz 

 (1) the region of winter rains ; (2) the intermediate region of spring and 

 autumn rains; (3) the region of heavy summer rains ; (4) the west coast. 

 Under (1) are found the southwest province, the western Karroo, and the 

 Little Namaqua land. Under (2) come the south coast, north and south 

 Karroo, and the southeast mountain land ; and under (3) we have the 

 table-land of the upper Oraage River, the north Transvaal, the Kala- 

 hari, and the Great Namaqua and Damara land. After treating of the 

 geography, the author discusses the possible developments of agricul- 

 ture in the different districts. In a chapter on the treatment of the 

 rain- fall and its distribution. Dr. Dove concludes with some remarks on 

 the alleged deterioration of the climate by the drying up of the country. 

 This effect he considers to be the outcome of reckless forest destruction. 

 He points out the brilliant results obtained at small cost by the con- 

 struction of reservoirs, as at Beaufort and at Van Wyk's Vley. 



Die Meteorologie, mit besonderer Beriicksichtigimg geographischer Fra- 

 gen dargestellt^ by Dr. S. Giinther, Miinich. This work is an attempt 

 to produce a text book of the whole of meteorology in 300 pages, and, 

 so far as the effort is at all possible, the work is successful. Each sub- 

 ject is treated in an excessively condensed manner, and references to 

 the literature are given for what is left unsaid. It is, therefore, rather 

 a good index or reference book than a successor of Kamtz or Schmidt. 



Der Einjiuss einer Schneedecke auf Boden, Klima und Wetter, by a. 

 Woeikof, pp. 1-115. — In this book Dr. Woeikof sums up all that is at 

 present known of the influence of a snow covering, upon the soil, the 

 climate, and the weather. Data are given which show that the effect of 

 a snow sheet in lowering the temperature of the air is very considerable 

 and certain anomalies in mean winter temperature are explained in 

 view of this relation. 



In discussing the effect of a thick winter snow-sheet on springs and 

 rivers, a variation is pointed out which is of importance in its bearings 

 on hydrography. In latitudes where the winter cold is sufficient to 

 freeze the ground to a considerable depth, if heavy snow falls early in 

 the winter before cold has penetrated deeply below the surface, the 

 protection thereby afforded allows the ground to thavr by conduction 

 from the lower strata, and the water from the slow melting of the basal 

 snow layer, and much of that which is produced in the spring thaw, soaks 

 into the soil and affords a supply which maintains the rivers more or 

 less full through the succeeding summer. But if, before snow falls, the 



