898 
NATURE 
[JUNE 30, 1923. 

upwards, approaching the station, sometimes passing 
overhead and, after an interval, vanishing while in 
the region of minimum frequency. The overhead 
passage was much more common at Cape Adare than 
at Cape Evans. 
The aurore show a well-marked tendency to occur 
most often in the early morning, round about 4 A.M. 
local time. A secondary maximum occurs at Cape 
Adare at 8 p.m., and a trace of it is apparent also at 
Cape Evans. In the afternoon the aurore rarely 
pass overhead, but they are more often brilliantly 
coloured and of swift motion than those which occur 
in the morning. At times of maximum frequency 
the aurora is also generally of greatest extent. 
In the magnetic report of the expedition, by Dr. 
Chree, the connexion between magnetic activity and 
the aurora has already been discussed ; Mr. Wright 
here carries the discussion further. It is clear that 
there is some relation between the two phenomena, 
though it is not so evident as in latitudes farther from 
the pole, where aurore are seen only rarely, and are 
always accompanied by magnetic storms. Mr. Wright 
shows, however, that there is a marked correspondence 
between the magnetic character of a period of several 
hours about the time of appearance of a brilliant 
aurora, and the intensity of the aurora; the relation- 
ship is much more close than that between the same 
two characteristics at individual hours. Some of the 
results of this report had been anticipated by Mawson’s 
report (1908) on the auroral work of the Shackleton 
expedition, though the latter is not confirmed in all 
respects. The auroral station in the Shackleton ex- 
pedition was not far from Cape Evans. 
These valuable memoirs will become of still greater 
significance and importance if and when another 
south polar expedition conducts similar observations 
in a part of the Antarctic considerably different in 
longitude from the Scott-Shackleton region, but at a 
similar distance from the pole of the earth’s magnetic 
axis. 
Mr. C. S. Wright’s report ? on the gravity observa- 
tions, for which he was responsible, made during the 
Terra Nova expedition, is a record of a most manful 
struggle against difficulties. It seems very regrettable 
that the instrumental equipment of the expedition 
was not of the highest quality, for observations in the 
Antarctic are sufficiently exacting even under the best 
conditions. As a matter of fact, some of the equip- 
ment for Mr. Wright’s gravity work was very bad, 
particularly the old transit circle on which he had to 
rely for his clock rates. 
Four series of observations were made at Cape 
Evans, the first two being made ina cave cut in snow- 
2 British (Terra Nova) Antarctic Expedition, rg10-1913. Determina- 
tions of Gravity. By C. S. Wright. (Published for the Committee of the 
Captain Scott Antarctic Fund.) Pp. 106+4 plates. (London: Harrison 
and Sons, Ltd., 1921.) 7s. 6d. net. 

drift consolidated to ice. The cave being small, the 
temperature varied by 10° C. during the time of 
observation, due to the observer’s presence ; all the 
mirror and lens surfaces were frosted by his breath, 
and also the prisms, agate planes, and pendulums 
themselves. A fortnight’s break in the series of 
observations for each determination of g was made in 
order to allow the mirrors to clear. Notwithstanding 
all the efforts made to meet these conditions, the first 
two series gave such discordant results that in the 
second year a change was decided upon. 
Attempts were made to build a small observing hut 
of (full) petrol cases covered with rubberoid and 
canvas; the hut was to be heated artificially during 
the observations. 
was demolished by blizzards, and when at last it was 
securely built and banked with snow, it had to be 
abandoned after some days’ trial, as it was found 
impossible to maintain it at a workable temperature, 
or even to keep it free from drift snow. Finally, the 
photographic dark-room opening off the living hut 
was lent as an observing station. Two series of 
observations were made here, in July and August 
1912; the last series was not so good as that made 
in July, probably owing to the whole hut being shaken 
by blizzards during the August determination. Re- 
jecting the results obtained in the previous year, the 
mean value of g from the three pendulums used in 
1912 at Cape Evans was 983-003 from the July series 
and 983-004 from the August series: the probable- 
error of the final mean is given as 0-:0023 cm./sec.’. 
Commdr. Bernacchi, who on Scott’s earlier expedi- 
tion was faced with even greater difficulties in some 
| respects, obtained the values 982-970, 982-979, and 
983-025 from his three pendulums, at a spot fifteen 
miles farther south. These values may be compared 
with the standard value 981-292 at Potsdam, which 
was taken as the reference or base station for the 
gravity work, and where Mr. Wright received training 
and much help from Prof. Helmert and his staff at 
the Geodetic Institute. 
Observations were also made at Wellington, Mel- 
bourne, and Christchurch, in the latter case both on 
the outward and return journey. The value of g had 
already been accurately observed at Melbourne by 
Hecker in 1904 and Alessio in 1905, who obtained 
accordant values 980-003; the value found by Mr. 
Wright was 980-009, the difference exceeding the sum 
of the probable errors in the two cases: no reason 
for the disagreement can be assigned. The observa- 
tions at Christchurch, like those made there earlier 
by Bernacchi, were unfortunately not very successful 
or accordant. The observation at Wellington was 
the first that had been attempted there. The check 
observation at Potsdam at the end of the expedition 
agreed well with the initial determination made with - 
the same pendulums. 
Industrial Fatigue Research. ; 
HE third annual report of the Industrial 
Fatigue Research Board (H.M. Stationery 
Office, price 2s. net) is even more interesting than 
those which have preceded it. It contains not only 
an account of the constitution, organisation, investiga- 
tions, researches, external relations, and publications 
of the Board, but also nearly fifty pages of original 
contributions from five of its investigators—Mr. 
Farmer, Miss May Smith, Mr. Wyatt, Dr. Vernon, and 
Mr. Weston. 
During its three years of activity the Board has 
published twenty-three reports—seven on general 
industrial problems, seven on the textile industries, 
five on the metal industries, two on the boot and 
NO. 2800, VOL. 111] 
shoe industry, one on the pottery industry, and one 
on the laundry trade. ‘‘ More recently, however, 
and pending development of some scheme of actual 
co-operation with industries .. . the Board have 
tended to modify their original procedure, and have 
taken as their objective the study of certain general 
subjects, not confined to any one industry but of 
common interest to all, following up each subject 
along lines which experience shows to be most 
promising and dealing with it both by field investiga- 
tion and by laboratory research.” 
The scientific committees under the Board accord- 
ingly comprise those for industrial health statistics, 
physiology of muscular work, physiology of the 
Twice the nearly completed hut . 

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