iS6 



NATURE 



[December 20, 1^94 



(i) Cirrus (CL). — Isolated feathery clouds of fine fibrous 

 texture, generally of a white colour. Frequently arranged in 

 bands which spread like the meridians on a celestial globe over 

 a part of the sky, and converge in perspective towards one or 

 two opposite points of the horizon. (In the formation of such 

 bands, Ci. S. and Ci. Cu. often take part.) 



(2) Cirro-Stratus (Ci. S ).— Fine whitish veil, sometimes 

 quite diffuse, giving a whitish appear.ince to the sky, and called 

 by many cirrus haze, sometimes of more or less distinct struc- 

 ture, exhibiting confused fibres. The veil often produces halos 

 around the sun and moon. 



(3) CiRRO-CuMULUS (Ci. Cu.).— Fleecy cloud. Small white 

 balls and wisps without shadows, or with very faint shadows, 

 which are arranged in groups and often in rows. 



(4) Alto CiMULUs( A. Cu.).— Dense fleecy cloud. Larger 

 whitish or gteyish balls with shaded portions, grouped in flocks 

 or rows, frequently so clo-e together that their edges meet. The 

 different balls are generally larger and more compact (passing 

 into S. Cu.) towards the centre of the group, and more delicate 

 and wispy (passing into Ci. Cu.) on its edges. They are very 

 frequently arranged in stripes in one or two directions. 



(The term cumulocirrusis given upas causing confusion.) 



(5) AiTo Stratus (A. S.).— Thick veil of a grey or bluish 

 colour, exhibiting in the vicini'y of the sun and moon a brighter 

 portion, and which, without causing halos, may produce coroi.a'. 

 This form shows gradual transitions to cirro-stratus, but, accord- 

 ing to the mea.'-urcments made at Upsala, has only half the 

 altitude. . . 



(The term stratus-cirrus is abandoned as giving rise to 

 confusion.) 



(6) Strato Cumulus (S. Cu.).— Large balls or rolls ofdaik 

 cloud which frequently cover 'he whole sky, especially in winter, 

 and give it at times a wave-like appearance. The stratum of 

 s'rato-cumulus is usually not very thick, and blue sky often 

 appears in the breaks through it. Between this form and the 

 altocumulus, all possible graduations are found. They ate dis- 

 tinguished from nimbus liy the ball-like or rolled form, and 

 because they do not lend to bring rain. 



(7) NlMiiUS (N.). — kain clouds. Dense masses of dark form- 

 less clouds with ragged edges, from which generally continuous 

 rain or snow is falling. Through the breaks in these clouds 

 there is almost always seen a high sheet of cirro-stralus or alto- 

 stratus. If the mass of nimbus is lorn up into smaller patches, 

 or if smaller clouds are floating very much below a great nimbus, 

 the former may be calkd Fracto-nimbus ("Scud" of the 

 sailors). 



(8) Cumulus (Cu.).— Piled clouds. Thick clouds whose 

 summits are domes with protuberances, but whose bases are 

 flat. These clouds appear to form in a diurnal ascensional 

 movement which is almost always apparent. When the cloud 

 is opposite the si:n, the surfaces which are usually seen by the 

 observer are more brilliant than the c iges of the protuberances. 

 When the illumination comes fiom the side, this cloud shows a 

 strong actual shadow ; on the sunny side of the sky, however, 

 it appears dark with bright edges. The true cumulus shows a 

 sharp border almve and l.elow. It isoften torn by strong winds, 

 and the detached parts (Fracto-cumulus) present continual 

 changes. 



(9) CUMULO-NIMBUS (Cu. N.).— Thunder cloud ; shower 

 cloud. Heavy masses of clouds, rising like mountains, lowers, 

 or anvils, generally surrounded nt the top by a veil or screen of 

 fibrous texture ("false cirrus"), and below by nimbus-like 

 masses of cloud. Fiom their base generally fall local showers 

 of rain or snnw, and sometimes hail or sleet. The upper edges 

 are either of compact cuniulus-bke outline, and form immense 

 aammits, surrounded by delicate false cirrus, or the edges them- 

 selves ate drawn out like cirrus. This last form ismost common 

 in " spring squalls." The iront of storm clouds of great extent 

 sometime^ shows a great arch stretching across a portion of the 

 sky, which is uniformly lighter in colour. 



(10) Stkails (S,).— Lifted fog in a horizontal stratum. 

 When this stratum is torn by the wind or by mountain summits 

 into irregular fragments, they may be called Fracto-stratus. 



Instructions for Observing Clouds. 



At each observation there are to be recorded : — 

 (i) The /Vh./<7/('/i>(M', <lcsignated by the international letters 

 of the cloud name, which may tie more exactly defined by giving 

 Ihe number of the picture of the Atlai most nearly representing 

 the observed form. 



NO. 13 I 2, VOL. 51] 



(2) The Direction Jrom which the ClouJs tome. — If the 

 ob-eiver remains completely at rest during a lew stconds, the 

 motion of the clouds may be easily ob>erved relatively 

 to a steeple or mast erected in an open space. If the 

 motion of the cloud is very slow, the head must be sup- 

 1 ortc-d. Clouds should be observed in this way vmly near the 

 zeriih, for if they are too far away from it the perspective may 

 cau-e errors. In this case nephoscopes shiii il he used, and 

 the rules followed which apply to the particular instrument 

 employed. 



(3) Kadiant Point of the Upper Clouds.— "Y^tf^^ clouds often 

 appear in the form of fine parallel bands, which, by an effect of 

 perspective, seem to come from one point of thr hoiizon. The 

 radiant point is that point where these bands, or th ir direction 

 piolonged, meet the horizon. The position of ilns point oii the 

 horizon should be recorded in the same way as the wind direc- 

 tion, norih, north-north-east, &c. 



(4) C'lidiilalory Clouds.— \l often happens that the clouds 

 show legular, parallel, and equidistant streaks, like the waves 

 on the surface of water. This is the case for ihc greater part of 

 the cirro-cumulus, strato cumulus (roll-cumulus), &C. It is im- 

 porant to note the direction of these streaks. W lun tbeie are 

 apparently two distinct systems, as is to be seen in clouds 

 separated into balls by streaks in two directions, ihe directions 

 of the two systems should be noted. As far as pos-ilile, obser- 

 vations should be made on streaks near the zeii th to avoid 

 effects of per-pective. 



(5) D, II lily and /'osilion oj Cirrus Banks.— T\\e upper 



clouds fiequcntly take the form of felt or of a re o less dense 



veil, which, rising above the hoiizon, resembles a ihin white 

 or greyi-h hank. .\s this cloud form has an intim.tie relation 

 to baiometric depressions, it is important to note : — 



(<i) The density — 



meaning very thin and irregular. 



1 me.ining thin but regular. 



2 meaning rather dense. 



3 meaning dense. 



4 meaning very dense and of dark colour. 

 (I>) The direciion in which the veil or bank appears densest. 

 Hemarls.—XW interesting details should le noted, for 



example : 



(1) On summer days all low clouds generally assume par- 

 ticular forms resembling cumulus more or less. In ihis case, 

 there should be put under Remarks, " Slraius or Nimbus 

 Cuniulilormis." 



(2) Il sometimes happens that a cumulus has a mammillated 

 lower surface. This appearance bhould be dtscribed by the 

 name of "Mammato-cumulus." 



(3) It should always be noted whither Ihe clouds appear 

 stanonary, or whether they have a verj great velmi ». 



The text of the Atlas is to be in French, Eii,;lish, 

 German. 



and 



ENDOWMENT FOR SCIENTIFIC Rt-.SEARCH 

 AND PUBLICAIIO.\.^ 

 II. 

 IMMEDIATELY connected with .ur colleges and universities 

 •*■ is another field, in which addi ional endowmem^ ;ire greatly 

 needed, viz. for fellowships in science for , o-igraduale 

 studie.s. . 



Upon Ihe post-graduate workers the future ol cunce, ana 

 the recruits for future teachers and piofessors, niusi iccessarily 

 depend. In that view Ihe imporinr.ce of posi-gn.luaie endow- 

 ments in science can scarcely be m igmfied. Th. gu-ai majority 

 of ihe >oung men from whom all the new lec un- must be 

 drawn have little or no ptcuniaiy n cans. An-r graduating, 

 ofien through many difficulties, they niiisl face ihc qu si ion of 

 their future calling. 1 hey must consider whai pioiiiise of « 

 reasonable and comfortable support a life devoir. i to science 

 all..rds. If this risk should not d.ter ihein, siill there are 

 many with talents of a high order who would ic ahsolutely 

 unalilc to proceed further in ihe advanced scicniific studies 

 neccssaiy to qualify ihem to enter upon rcmunera ive scicnlihc 



' Address Jelivcred by Mr. Addison Brown, at a meeting of ihc Scicnlific 

 Alliance of New Vorlt. Reprinlcd (rem Smilhsonian K.;porl, \i<)i- 

 (Continued from pa^e 167.) 



