44 
NATORE 
[ NOVEMBER 12, 1903 
The subject of kite observations and the general investi- 
gation of the upper atmosphere was then taken up. It 
was introduced by Mr. Dines, who gave an account of the 
work of the kite committee of the Association and of the 
difficulties met with in carrying out the continuation of the 
observations in the summer of this year off the west coast 
of Scotland. Dr. A. L. Rotch followed with an account 
of the kite observations at Blue Hill in the years 1900-2, 
and Prof. Hergesell added an account, for the most part 
in German, of the work of the International Aéronautical 
Committee. He concluded in English with an eloquent 
appeal to the science of this country to take a part in this 
important investigation. The three papers mentioned were 
followed by a general discussion, which had not concluded 
when the morning sitting of the section was adjourned. 
It was accordingly postponed until the following day, and 
then continued by Profs. Schuster, Turner, and M. 
Teisserenc de Bort. The matter was subsequently brought 
before the committee of Section A, and at their instance 
the General Committee at their final meeting adopted a 
resolution urging the council to take steps to secure 
the means of joining this international enterprise. The 
papers in the afternoon were one on photographs of the 
Orion nebula, by Mr. W. E. Wilson, showing what could 
be done by screening to bring out in a positive detail of the 
central overexposed regions of the negative, while pre- 
serving the faint extensions; on the spectra of lightning, 
by Dr. W. J. S. Lockyer, which formed a suitable com- 
panion to the author’s fine collection of photogr«phs of 
lightning in the meteorological exhibition, and which was 
further elucidated by a photographic spectrum of lightning 
from Yerkes Observatory; and also a paper by Mr. D. 
Burns, attributing some of the unexplained phenomena 
accompanying volcanic eruptions in the West Indies to 
electrical action. 
On Tuesday, September 15, Prof. Milne, whose ill-health 
during the meeting of the Association unfortunately pre- 
vented his taking much part in the proceedings, read the 
report of the seismological committee, and gave an account 
of his conclusions on the present state and properties of the 
interior of the earth. That was followed by a number of 
astronomical papers. Prof. Hale sent from the Yerkes 
Observatory a series of very fine photographs made with 
the new Rumford spectro-heliograph mounted on the 4o-inch 
refractor. By setting the slit in different parts of the K 
line he is able to photograph the distribution of calcium 
vapour at successive heights above the photosphere, and to 
show how the calcium ‘‘ flocculi’’ expand as they rise and 
spread out over the spots. He announced also the existence 
of dark hydrogen flocculi and of occasional dark calcium 
flocculi. Prof. Schuster contributed a very important paper 
on radiation from a foggy atmosphere, finding in the 
“scattering ’’ of light by molecules an explanation of the 
fact that a star may show the hydrogen series partly bright 
and partly dark. A paper by Prof. Sampson announced 
some of the results of the eclipse observations of Jupiter’s 
satellites upon which he is now engaged ; and one by Father 
Cortie on solar prominences and terrestrial magnetism went 
to show that no direct relation in detail could be traced 
between individual prominence outbursts on the sun and 
terrestrial magnetic storms. The conclusion was that both 
depend on some deep-seated common cause, and not directly 
one upon the other. There followed a paper by Dr. Paulsen, 
of Copenhagen, in which the spectrum of nitrogen was 
compared with the spectrum of the aurora obtained by long 
exposure in the Arctic night of Iceland. Dr. Buchan gave 
an account of the results of an investigation of the variation 
of temperature in the water of the Levant, which regularly 
gains temperature during one part of the day and loses it 
all again within the twenty-four hours. This gain and loss 
Dr Buchan attributed to the effect of absorption and radi- 
ation. The decision between that hypothesis and the 
alternative suggested by Mr. J. Aitken, that it might be 
accounted for by convection, was left as an attractive subject 
for further consideration. 
The work of the day concluded with some magnetic 
-papers, Prof. Schuster reading for Dr. Bauer, first an 
aeun of the progress of the magnetic survey of the United 
States, and secondly an attempt to compute the secular 
variation of the earth’s total magnetic energy. The report 
NO. 1776, VOL. 69] 
of the committee of the Falmouth Observatory, to which 
the Association is giving a liberal subsidy, in order to main- 
tain a self-recording station free from the electrical inter- 
ference which has destroyed the usefulness of the Kew 
observations, until a new national magnetic observatory is 
established, was merely formal. 
The subsection continued its labours up to the end of the 
available time of the Association. On Wednesday, Dr. 
W. J. S. Lockyer read a paper on the relation between 
prominences, sun-spots, and corona. Dr. Buchan produced 
the twenty-first report of the committee on Ben Nevis 
Observatory, which concluded with a summary of the results 
as bearing on forecasting. Prof. Callendar gave an account 
of the electrical self-recording instruments designed by him- 
self, and pointed out their advantages over those in general 
use. There are so many points in connection with the prac- 
tical use of self-recording instruments to which it is desirable 
that attention should be directed that it is to be regretted 
that the limited time of the section did not permit more 
extended discussion of the general question. Dr. A. L. 
Rotch gave an account of the results of his experiments at 
Blue Hill upon the effect of meteorological conditions upon 
the audibility of sounds between a high-level and low- 
level station. The results were of a negative character on 
the whole; no specific effect could be attributed to differ- 
ences of meteorological condition. The business concluded 
with a paper by Dr. Mill on some rainfall problems, in 
which he discussed some practical difficulties arising in the 
construction of accurate rainfall maps. The usual vote of 
thanks concluded the proceedings. 
Exhibition of Objects of Interest in Meteorology, Terrestrial 
Magnetism, &&c. 
In connection with the meeting of the International Com- 
mittee, an exhibition of objects of interest in meteorology 
and allied subjects, terrestrial magnetism, solar physics, 
seismology, &c., was organised. The preliminary arrange- 
ments were made by a committee which met at the Meteor- 
ological Office, and consisted of representatives of the 
Meteorological Council, the Royal Meteorological Society, 
the Scottish Meteorological Society, the president of the 
Association, the Astronomer Royal, the director of the 
National Physical Laboratory, and a number of others in- 
terested in the subjects represented. The result was the 
collection of a large number of very interesting exhibits 
from the following exhibitors :— 
The Admiralty, Hydrographic Department, magnetic 
apparatus; the Astronomer Royal, historical instruments, 
magnetic and meteorological records; the Meteorological 
Council, books, maps, diagrams and automatic records; the 
National Physical Laboratory, Kew Observatory, McLeod’s ~ 
sunshine recorder, cloud apparatus and photographs, records 
and diagrams illustrating meteorology, magnetism and seis- 
mology ; Prof. A. A. Rambaut, Radcliffe Observatory, baro- 
grams showing disturbances due to volcanic eruptions, and 
diagrams of the results of earth temperature measurements ; 
the Royal Meteorological Society, Glaisher’s balloon 
apparatus and other objects of historic interest ; the Scottish 
Meteorological Society, photographs of Ben Nevis and 
special rainfall maps; Sir Norman Lockyer, F.R.S., Solar 
Physics Observatory, diagrams of solar phenomena and of 
the secular variation of pressure in different parts of the 
earth; M. Teisserenc de Bort, records of unmanned balloon 
ascents etched on metal sheets; Mr. John Aitken, F.R.S., 
dust counters and koniscope, with a map exhibiting some 
results obtained, and an apparatus illustrating certain 
phenomena of cyclonic storms; Mr. J. Baxendell, new self- 
recording apparatus for temperature and for wind direction 
combined with wind force, diagrams and records from the 
Fernley Observatory, Southport; Mr. F. F. Blackman, 
apparatus for demonstrating and measuring the evaporation 
of water from the leaves of growing plants; Mr. F. J. 
Brodie, diagram of gales; Dr. Buchan, F.R.S., meteor- 
ological atlas; the Cambridge Scientific Instrument Com- 
pany, Callendar recorders for temperature and sunshine, 
and Blakesley’s portable barometer; Captain E. W. Creak, 
R.N., C.B., F.R.S., magnetic charts; Mr. W. H. Dines, 
tornado cloud apparatus and kite records; Mr. F. L. Halli- 
well, new self-recording rain gauges; Mr. F, W. Harmer, 
diagrams of suggested isobaric distributions in the Glacial 
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