Nov. 24, 1887] 



NATURE 



91 



METEOROLOGICAL NOTES. 



Mr. H. Allen has contributed an article to the American 

 Meteorological Journal for October, on the behaviour of pressure 

 and temperature in low and high pressure systems. Recent 

 investigations by M. Dechevrens (and others) tend to show that, 

 while a high temperature accompanies a low pressure at sea- 

 level, the fluctuations are reversed at some height above sea- 

 level. Mr. Allen maintains that this conclusion is not su.iported 

 by his examination of observations made on Mount Washington, 

 where the minimum pressure does not coincide with the passage 

 of the storm centre over the station, but lags about eleven horns 

 behind it, and he considers that this fact explains the peculiar 

 results obtained by M. Dechevrens. The same number also 

 contains an article by Prof. F. Waldo, " 0.n the Absolute 

 Reduction of Wind Observations at Sea." He recommends the 

 use of some instrument to ass'st the judgment of different 

 observers, at the actual time of observation. 



I .^ The results of meteorological observations made at the Rad- 

 cliffe'Observatory, Oxford, in the year 1884, contain daily means 

 of eye observations and of the self-recording instruments, com- 

 parisons of the mean monthly temperatures at 5 and 105 feet 

 above the ground, and rainfall observations on the ground at 

 22 and 112 feet. Interesting tables are given showing the rela- 

 tions of pressure, temperature, &c., under different winds. The 

 total sunshine during 1884 was I26d'9 hours, being 1737 hours 

 less than the mean of five years. The observations are reckoned 

 for astronomical and for Greenwich mean time. 



On September 19, 1887, the Russian Govern uent gave 

 notice that storm signals (consisting of day and night signals) 

 would be made at their principal ports in the Black Sea. The 

 signals are shown for forty-eight hours, unless instructions are 

 received to lower them before that time has elapsed : also, the 

 cause assigned for hoisting each signal will be posted up at the 

 respective signal stations. The day signals consist of a cone, 

 hoisted either alone, or with a drum, both painted black, and 

 each about 3 feet in diameter. The night signals consist of 

 three ted lights, hoisted at the angles of an equilateral triangle, 

 of the same size as the cone used by day. These signals corre- 

 spond to those in this country — except that the drum is not now 

 used, and night signals are only exhibited at very few stations. 



In LaNaliire of November 12 M. Jules Girard contributes an 

 article entitled "The Probable Temperature of the Pole," based 

 upon the results of the circumpolar expeditions of 18S2-83, and 

 upon the observations of some earlier expeditions, in which he 

 has tabulated the mean temperatures for each month. From 

 these data the author traces two principal centres of intense 

 cold, one in the north of Siberia near the mouths of the Lena, 

 and the other to the north of Hudson's Bay, near Boothia. The 

 lowest mean temperature quoted for July is 30° at Jeannette 

 Island, to the north of the islands of New Siberia, and the lowest 

 mean for January is - 49° at Fort Yukon, Alaska. 



THE BRITISH ASSOCIA TION AND LOCAL 

 SOCIETIES. 

 'T'HE third Annual Conference of Delegates of Corresponding 

 ■*■ Societies was held at Manchester, thirty-two of these 

 affiliated Societies having nominated Delegates to attend the 

 meeting. The following Report of the Conference, sigiied by 

 Mr. Francis Galton as Chairman, and by Prof. R. Meldola as 

 Secretary, has just been issued : — 



At the first meeting of the Conference the chair was taken by 

 Prof. W. Boyd Dawkins, F.R.S., the Corresponding Societies 

 Committee being represented by Dr. J. G. Garson and Prof. R. 

 Meldola, F. R.S., Secretary. 



The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, stated that the 

 British Association was anxious to be brought into as close a 

 relationship as possible with the local Societies of this country. 

 The work carried on by many of these Societies was of the 

 greatest value to science, and it was felt that their eftbrts might 

 be promoted by simplifying and unifying their labours. The 

 present meeting was called for this purpose, and for that of 

 bringing together the representatives of the various Correspond- 

 ing Societies. 



The Secretary read the Report of the Corresponding Societies 

 Committee which had been presented to the General Com- 

 mittee of the Association at the meeting on Wednesday, 

 August 31. 



The names of the Delegates who desired to be attached to the 

 Sectional Committees as "Delegate Members" were collected 

 by the Secretary in accordance with the resolution passed at the 

 Conference last year at Birmingham (see last Report, Natijre, 

 vol. XXXV. p. 78). 



The Chairman called upon the Delegates to make any state- 

 ments respecting the action that had been taken by their 

 Societies with reference to the suggestions put forward last year, 

 and which had been embodied in the Report just read. 



Prehistoric Remains Committee. — Mr. J. W. Davis stated 

 that the Prehistoric Re nains Committee had been carrying on 

 their work during the past year, and they proposed to apply for 

 reappointment. Two reports had already been obtained relating 

 to tha bronze implements of the East and West Ridings of 

 Yorkshire, and several others had been promised for next year. 

 _ Preservation of Stonehenge. — With reference to the preserva- 

 tion of Stonehenge, Dr. Garson stated that the resolution which 

 had been submitted last year to the Delegates at the Birming- 

 ham Conference had been considered by the Committee of 

 Section II, and, having been adopted by them, had been brought 

 before the General Committee, and also accepted. He believed 

 that in consequence of this action negotiations were now going 

 on between the Council of the British Association and the 

 proprietor of these remains.^ 



Prof. Boyd Dawkins remarked that the state of neglect into 

 which Stonehenge had been allowed to fall had by no means been 

 OA'erstated in the resolutio.i referred to. A person had recently 

 been seen on a ladder chipping off" pieces from the horizontal 

 stone of one of the tiilithons. 



Ancient Momiments Act. — The Chairman and Dr. Garson 

 made some remarks in explanation of the working of the Ancient 

 Monuments Act. It was pointed out by the latter that the 

 local Societies could do go 3d service by inducing the proprietors 

 of prehistoric remains to communicate with General Pitt-Rivers, 

 the Inspector of Ancient Monuments, with the object of placing 

 these remains under Government protection. The Chairman 

 urged those Delegates who rep-esented the Northern, and 

 especially the Scotch Societies to use their influence in inducing 

 the owners of ancient remains to assist in carrying out the 

 objects of the Act. In reply to a question by Mr. F. T. Mott, 

 as to whether camps and earthworks were to be taken into con- 

 sideration, the Chairman did not think that any Government 

 could be expected to become a landowner to the extent of all 

 the earthworks in the country. 



Provincial Museums Committee. — With reference to the 

 work of this Committee, Mr. F, T. Mott stated that they had 

 been engaged duri;ig the past year in collecting particulars 

 respecting museums other than those in London. Considerable 

 assistance had been given by the Secretaries of many of the 

 local Societies. If the Committee was reappointed, as he hoped 

 it would be, he thought there were one or two matters on which 

 the local Societies might possibly render still more valuable aid. 

 The Repo t of the Committee was not yet passed, but it would, 

 no doubt, be read in the course of the present meeting of the 

 Association, and would then be accessible. 



Prof. Boyd Dawkins stated that the schedule issued by this 

 Committee was a very difficult one to fill up, and he expressed a 

 hope that something shorter and simpler would be sent out. 



The Rev. H. Wmwood expressed similar views. 



Mr. Robert Pullar and Mr. J. W. Davis mentioned two 

 museums which the Committee had not heard of — viz. that of 

 the Perthshire Society of Natural Science at Perth, and Mr. 

 Davis's museum at Chevinedge, Halifax. 



Earth Tremors. — Prof. Lebour stated that the subject of 

 earth tremors, which he had brought forward at the Conference 

 of Delegates last year at Birmingham, had since taken a more 



^ The follo\vin:j extract relating to this matter is from the Couacil Report 

 for 1886-87, presented at the Manchester meeting: — 



"That the Council be requested to consider the advisability of calling the 

 attention of the proprietor of Stonjhenje to th^ danger in which sever.^1 of 

 thi stones are at the pre-sent time from the burrowing of rabbits, and also to 

 the desirability of removing the wooden prop> which support the horizontal 

 stone of one of the trilithons ; and in view of the great value of Stoneherige 

 as an ancient national monument, to express the hope of the Association 

 that so ne steps will be taken to remedy these sources of danger to the 

 stones." 



The Council have carefully considered the question, and, having had the 

 advantage of perusing the detailed report recently prepared by a deputa- 

 tion of the Wilts ArchxoloTical and Natural History Society on the 

 condition of the whole of the stones constituting Stonehenge, .ire of opinion 

 that the proprietor should be approached with the expression of a hope 

 that he will direct such steps to be taken as shall effectually prevent further 

 damage. 



