AUGUST 13, 1914] 
Dr. N. O. Horst supports Jamieson’s theory of 
the subsidence of large areas under the weight of 
the ice-sheets of the Glacial epoch (‘‘ Le commence- 
ment et la fin de la période Glaciaire,’’? L’Anthro- 
pologie, vol. xxiv., p. 353), and urges that glacial 
conditions are primarily due to elevation of the land. 
Such elevation defeats itself, as it were, since the 
spread of the ice soon causes a depression. The up- 
ward swing, after melting has occurred, may promote 
a further, but less important, glaciation, and when, 
on depression, this second series of ice-sheets melts, 
the Glacial epoch comes to an end. It must be re- 
marked that the real difficulty of the isostatic theory 
of movements during an ice-age lies in the impossi- 
bility of saying how far these were complicated by 
crust-displacements of a more normal order. 
Dr. J. v. Hann, in an article in the Oesterreich- 
isches Béderbuch on climatic factors from the balneo- 
logical point of view, points out that existing statistics 
for health resorts only partially meet the requirements 
of medical men as regards information wanted for 
invalids. The subject is discussed under each element 
at considerable length, and the author’s great authority 
in climatological matters lends additional weight to his 
views. We can only very briefly refer to a few of the 
points. Air temperature: the hours usually adopted 
require to be supplemented in some cases, and the 
mean dates given of the occurrence of certain tempera- 
tures in spring and autumn. The desirability of pub- 
lishing ‘‘variability’’ of temperature (the difference 
of the mean from one day to the next), and possibly 
for different parts of the day is urged. Wind: refer- 
ences are made to experiments on the cooling effect 
of different wind forces, and to a useful instrument 
(homéotherm) lately devised for the purpose of deter- 
mining the loss of heat due to wind. Humidity: Dr. 
v. Hann thinks that ‘‘ relative humidity ’’ is most suit- 
able from a biological point of view; the readings of 
the wet-bulb thermometer (in conjunction with those 
of the dry-bulb) are also important. Sunshine: Mean 
duration is best shown by the ratio to the possible 
amount. Of other methods, that giving the mean 
daily duration is more convenient than that showing. 
the total number of hours. Fog: the mean data as 
mostly published are misleading; the time of its occur- 
rence is wanted. The second part of the article con- 
tains a general sketch on the climatic districts of 
Austria. 
A RECENT publication of the Meteorological Office, 
“Hourly Values frorh Autographic Records, Geo- 
physical Section, 1912,’’ includes data meteorological, 
magnetic, and electrical. The meteorological data con- 
sist mainly of normal hourly values for each month of 
the year of barometric pressure, temperature, relative 
humidity, wind velocity, rainfall, and duration of 
bright sunshine at Aberdeen, Falmouth, Kew, and 
Valencia, and the differences from these normals 
observed in 1912. For Eskdalemuir, a recent station, 
the information is confined to 1912. At the end of the 
volume there are some notes by Mr. E. Gold on the 
principal meteorological phenomena, and some tables 
explanatory of the units (millibars, absolute tempera- 
tures, etc.) employed. The magnetic part 
NO.29337,. VOL. 93] 
gives 
NATURE 
| 
| values of the magnetic elements. 
621 
hourly values of the north and west magnetic 
| components at Eskdalemuir. The vertical force 
magnetograph, it is explained, did not give trustworthy 
results. There are also tables of diurnal inequalities 
| from all days at Eskdalemuir, and from five ‘“ quiet” 
days a month at Kew and Falmouth. Other tables 
give inequality ranges, non-cyclic changes, Fourier 
coefficients for the diurnal variation and mean annual 
The electrical mate- 
rial bulks much less largely. It consists of mean 
monthly values and diurnal inequalities of potential 
gradient at Kew and Eskdalemuir. 
planatory remarks and comments by the super- 
intendents of Kew, Eskdalemuir, Falmouth, and 
Valencia Observatories, and a preface by the director 
of the Meteorological Office. 
There are ex- 
“THE Seaman’s Handbook of Meteorology,” re- 
cently issued by the Meteorological Committee as a 
companion to the ‘‘ Barometer Manual for the Use of 
Seamen,”’ is, in fact, a general meteorological treatise 
covering to some extent the same ground as_ the 
‘‘ Observers’ Handbook” (which is published annually 
for the use of observers at land stations), with the 
addition of special chapters on ‘*Seamen’s Weather,” 
relating especially to wind, fog, and floating ice. It 
is intended to replace the ‘Fishery Barometer 
Manual” which has been issued for many years for 
use in connection with barometers lent to fishery 
stations and small seaports. The work has been car- 
ried out in a very satisfactory manner by Commander 
Campbell Hepworth, marine superintendent of the 
office. Full explanations, based on investigations of 
scientific men generally, and on Meteorological Office 
publications, are given, with frequent extracts, of the 
processes at work in the production of meteorological 
conditions. These are illustrated by excellent pictures 
of clouds, and by typical synoptic charts of high and 
low barometric pressure, some of which are supple- 
mented since the time of original issue by data from 
wireless telegrams, so that the area westward has been 
much extended. The #apter on icebergs and other 
forms of drifting ice, not usually found in ordinary 
text-books, will be much appreciated by meteorologists 
generally. The handbook is accompanied by an in- 
structive prefatory chapter by Dr. W. N. Shaw, on 
the old and modern aspects of maritime meteorology. 
THE Proceedings of the British Academy, vol. vi., 
contains an interesting article by Prof. Silvanus P. 
Thompson, on the ‘‘rose”’ of the winds and the origin 
and development of the compass card, which was read 
in April, 1913, at the International Historical Con- 
It deals with the origin of the names of the 
winds, the letters denoting which appear on many of 
the older compass cards, also with the origin of the 
arrangement of the ‘‘rose”’ of 32 points, and with the 
distinctive marks on compass cards. A curious fact 
related by Prof. Thompson is that the fleur-de-lis, now 
in general use to denote the north, did not appear on 
compass cards prior to 1500. He thinks there is some- 
thing to be said for the view recently advanced by 
Herr Schiick that the device was originally intended 
to represent the primitive form of floating compass in 
which a lance-shaped needle was supported between 
SEES: 
