Meteorology 659 



colors to denote different conditions of the weather as to clear- 

 ness, cloudiness, rain, or snow." * Soon an improvement fol- 

 lowed by the adoption of circular disks of different colors, 

 which were attached to the maps by pins at each station of 

 observation, and indicating by their color the state of the at- 

 mosphere, white signifying clear weather; gray, cloudy; black, 

 rain; etc. The disks had an arrow stamped upon them, and 

 as they were so arranged that they could be attached to the 

 map in any direction, the motion of the wind at each station 

 was shown by them. 2 Henry wrote : " This map is not only 

 of interest to visitors in exhibiting the kind of weather which 

 their friends at a distance are experiencing, but is also of im- 

 portance in determining at a glance the probable changes 

 which may soon be expected." 3 



It was also in 1856, to again quote Henry, that "several of 

 the observers publish the results of their observations in the 

 newspapers of their vicinity," concerning which, he adds: "We 

 would commend this custom to general adoption." 4 With 

 the growth of the telegraph came also a development of its 

 usefulness to the meteorological work of the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution, and the next step was the publication in the daily 

 newspapers of the telegraphic reports of the weather. In 

 1857 Henry acknowledges his indebtedness "to the National 

 Telegraph line for a series of observations from New Orleans 

 to New York, and as far westward as Cincinnati, Ohio, which 

 have been published in the ' Evening Star ' of this city. 

 These reports have excited much interest, and could they be 

 extended further north, and more generally to the westward, 

 they would furnish important information as to the approach 

 of storms. We hope in the course of another year to make 



1 This description is from "Smithsonian 219, "Bulletin No. II of the Weather 



Report," 1858, page 32. Bureau." 



2 Langley, S. P., "The Meteorological 3 " Smithsonian Report," 1858, page 32. 



Work of the Smithsonian Institution," page 4 Ibidem, 1856, page 35. 



