MOUNTAIN OBSERVATORIES IN AMERICA AND EUROPE. 31 



"ber of interesting accounts of the liigli meteorological stations of 

 Europe. 



The highest Grerman station is the "Wendelstein on the northern slopes 

 of the Alps near Munich. Its altitude is 1837 metres. The Santis in 

 Switzerland (2504 m.), the Eigi (1790 m.), the Great St. Bernard 

 (2478 m.) are well known. 



The most famous station in France is the Puy-de-Dome (about 1400 

 m.) where Pascal caused his barometric experiment to be tried in 

 1648 ; the highest station is the Pic-du-Midi (2877 m.). This station 

 is particularly interesting to astronomers because its work is not con- 

 fined to meteorology.^ Reference should be made to Dr. Rotch's 

 work by all specially interested in the meteorological services of such 

 stations. Such of them as have been tested astronomically are spoken 

 of in what follows. 



THE METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY ON BEN NEVIS (4368 FEET). 



The summit of the Ben is a most unsatisfactory station for astro- 

 nomical work. During 1893, for example, the average cloudiness of the 

 year was 84 per cent ; and in December, 1893, there was but a single 

 hour of sunshine ! The energies of the observers are, consequently, 

 entirely devoted to purely meteorological observations. 



The Meteorological Observatory on Ben Nevis had a serious experi- 

 ence in June, 1895. During a thunder storm, a flash entered the 

 building, fused the telegraph wires, damaged several of the instruments, 

 and stunned one of the observers, but fortunately did not kill him. In 

 its passage the lightning set fire to the felt and timber lining of the 

 building. Assisted by some tourists who had taken refuge from the 

 storm, the observers succeeded in subduing the fire. In this connec- 

 tion, compare the journal of the observers on Pike's Peak. 



THE METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY OF THE SANTIS (8200 FEET). 



Dr. Miiller, of the Potsdam Astrophysical Observatory, spent a 

 considerable time on the summit of the Santis, engaged in photometric 

 and spectroscopic observations. The former series was arranged so as 

 to determine the absorption of the air and its effect in diminishing the 

 visual brightness of stars. For our purposes we may quote some of 

 his results as follows : 



Stars between the zenith and 47° Z. D. showed ^^-^ of a magnitude 

 brighter at the summit than at sea-level. As the zenith distances of 



* The Mont-Ventoux station (6350 feet) cost about $40,000 to install ; the Aigo- 

 nal station (5150 feet) was established at about the same cost. I do not know the 

 yearly budgets of these establishments, nor of the Eiflfel Tower station (980 feet). 



