240 METEOROLOGY AND ALLIED SUBJECTS. 



ments, &c. ; the executing of studies in atmospheric absorption by Lang- 

 ley on Mount Whitney ; the offering of prizes for essays on meteorology ; 

 the establishment of stations for investigating meteorology in Arctic 

 America, &c. 



Tho attempt to render weather maps and meteorological observations 

 useful to the agricultural community has been fairly made in Saxony 

 by the erection of the special meteorological station in Magdeburg. 

 This is a massive tower 34 meters high, at the intersection of two streets. 

 In the basement is a room where the temperature changes are slight, 

 and here are kept the normal barometer, the barograph, &c. The ther- 

 mometer and anemometers are on the topmost story, and the working 

 rooms of the corps on the intermediate floors. Near by, on an appropriate 

 grass lawn, are the standard thermometers for air and earth tempera- 

 ture, and the evaporimeter, rain-gauge, &c. All of this is the property 

 of the Magdeburg Zeitung, and is in charge of Dr. Assmann. 



The daily bulletins and predictions are made up at noon, and an 

 edition of 500 copies sent out at 1 p. m. These are also republished 

 in the evening edition of the Zeitung. I^fumerous special reports for 

 local stations are made up at 12.30 p. m., and also a telegraph bulletin oi 

 predictions that is distributed, gratuitously and daily by the Magdeburg 

 i-ailroad to all its stations, and a bulletin for public use. {Z. 0. G. ili., 

 XVI, 1881, p. 381.) 



In Italy, much interest is expressed in the establishment of physical 

 and astronomical observatories at high altitudes. Tacchini has inter- 

 ested himself in the establishment of a very complete observatory at 

 Casa Degli Inglesi on Mount Etna. At the close of 1881 the building 

 had been completed, but the apparatus and obser\ ers not yet secured. 

 A less extensive observatory is in the course of construction on Monte 

 Cimone (altitude 2,233^"), and the erection of one on Gran Sasso d'ltalia 

 is contemplated. {Z. 0. G. M., XVI, 1881, 469.) 



The Annual Eeport of the London Meteorological Council for the 

 year ending March, 1880, shows the number of reporting stations to be 

 as follows: Class I, 9; II, 5; III, 37; IV, 22. 



The number of veriflcations of daily predictions is stated as follows : 



Verified. Failed. 



Storm warnings • 50 21 



General weather jjredictions 28 & 



Special hay-harvest predictions 48 9 



Among the special investigations and reports now on hand are the 

 following: (a) A third volume of the Meteorology of Arctic Regions; 

 (6) Observations at Kewonthe influence of altitude on the thermometer; 

 (c) The observations of Cambell's sunshine recorder: {d) Studies and 

 comparisons of various hygrometers; (e) Photography of clouds; (/) 

 Observations in balloons ; (g) The sluggishness of the marine barometer; 

 (h) The application of Thompson's harmonic analysis to the computation 

 of periodical series. {Z. 0. G. M., XVI, 1881, p. 493.) 



