18809. | VEEDER—ON THE AURORA. 23 
regions experienced unprecedented droughts. Southern France was 
without rain or snow for a whole winter. There were terrible famines 
in India and China due to drought. Egypt, Morocco and Cape Colony, 
Africa, likewise suffered greatly from the same cause. In Guiana, 
Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil and other parts of South America there 
was the same lack of rain, the drought at Ceara, Brazil, being the most 
disastrous on record. Even the Samoan Islands in the midst of the 
Pacific ocean were visited by asevere and altogether unusual drought. 
Australia and New Guinea likewise suffered, nor did the West Indias 
escape. In like manner there have been years noted for the wide pre- 
valence of extreme cold, and other years in which phenomenal high 
temperatures were recorded at numerous points throughout both hemi- 
spheres. It would certainly seem not unreasonable that such well 
marked divergence from ordinary conditions should find their explana- 
tion in the varying condition of the sun. The construction of curves 
showing mean precipitation, cloudiness, temperature and barometric 
range, at a few selected stations, however, gives wholly inconclusive 
results as regards any relations which these conditions sustain toward 
each other, or toward the varying condition of the sun. Such curves for 
example have appeared to indicate that there is no connection between 
barometric range and precipitation, thus contradicting the results of the 
simplest observation, It is impossible by any such method to show 
whether there is any connection between the varying condition of the 
sun and meteorological phenomena, unless observation can be combined 
from practically the entire earth. In want of such fullness of informa- 
‘tion from a sufficiently wide area the only resource is to select extreme 
cases like those which have been noted, and study the coincident solar 
conditions, following the method which has been found to be applicable 
in the case of the aurora. Thus it may become possible to learn 
whether there are distinctive features, attending, for a longer or shorter 
time, particular disturbed areas upon the sun. The very complete 
identification of certain areas by their auroral and magnetic concomi- 
tants, opens the way for discriminating and intelligent study, very differ- 
ent from merely counting sun spots. It is too soon, as yet, to say what 
“may be the result of such study. Enough has been learned however to 
indicate that the problem is worth attacking in this way. But without 
thus broadening the subject, much may be learned by the study of the 
aurora alone. The systematic investigation and tabulation of results 
along the lines that have been indicated cannot fail to throw light upon 
the physical constitution of the sun, and upon the nature of thermal, 
electrical and perhaps other forces of solar origin. This, like every 
