328 SCIENTIFIC RECORD FOR - 1 884. 



238. H. E. Hamberg, of Stockholm, has published a third memoir on 

 the diurnal variation of tlie torce of the wind. Tlie author endeavors to 

 show that the auiplitude between the daily maximum and minimum of 

 wind velocity is greater for strong winds than for feeble ones. As to 

 the questions whether the amplitude of the wind is best expressed by 

 the diflerence between the maximum and minimum or by the ratio be- 

 tween them, Hamberg is of the opinion that the ratio should be pre- 

 ferred, but Hanu remarks that the question can only be decided after 

 considering the object of the investigation. After discussing this ques- 

 tion, which is again fully replied to by Hann, Hamberg communicates 

 the results of a large collection of data elucidating the diurnal changes 

 for all classes of winds and for numerous stations in Europe ; he then 

 passes especially to the daily period for Upsala in the winter time, show- 

 ing that the amplitude increases with the strength of the wind, and 

 that the influence of cloudiness is but slight. {Z. 0. G. M., xix, p. 303.) 



239. E. Stelling discusses the wind direction in the lower portion of 

 the rivers Obi and Jenissei. He shows that the southeast, south, and 

 southwest winds of ISTorth and "West Siberia do not belong to anyXorth 

 Atlantic cyclonic system, but belong to the anti cyclonic winds attend- 

 ing the high barometer of Northern Asia. {Z. 0. G. M., xix, p. 417.) 



240. Prof. n. Fritz shows that the whisper wind, which is a local cur- 

 rent at the entrance of the narrow valley of the Rhine, blowing down 

 the upper portion of this valley in the evening and early mornings of 

 warm, clear days, is simply a part of the general current of air in the 

 valley of the river, and not to be attributed to any special influence of 

 the Wisperthal which is popularly and romantically associated with the 

 wind. {Z. 0. G. M., xix, p. 24G.) 



241. J. M. Pernter, in a second contribution on the winds at high 

 altitudes, shows that on the summit of theObir the southeast and south 

 winds are most frequent, and therefore the upper trade or return 

 trade has no existence there. For both frequency and total movement 

 there is a double maximum and minimum. The diurnal wind-changes 

 follow the sun, namely, they veer with the sun during the day time, but 

 during the night time '• back " or return against the sun. The north 

 and northwest winds are the strongest, the south and southwest the 

 softest. By selecting fifty-one perfectly clear days the daily period 

 becomes still more pronounced, confirming the author in his supposi- 

 tion that the sun's heat is the principal cause of the diurnal change of 

 wind force. {Z. O. G. M., xix, p. 380.) 



242. R. Billwiller, of Zurich, has published a preliminary discussion of 

 the results of the anemometer records for August, 1883, with the Munro 

 anemograph on the summit of the Santis. He fears that the instru- 

 ment will not work satisfactorily in the winter, owing to the frost and 

 ice that accumulate during the prevailing moist west winds, and has 

 attempted therefore to make a comparison daring the favorable weather 

 with the records of the observatorv at Berne, which is situated in an 



