PUBLICATIONS. 587 
ume and enhance its interest for geologists. A list of the portraits, 
besides that of the subject of the memoir, is as follows: De La Beche, 
Logan, Aveline, Selwyn, Bristow, Gibbs, Oldham, Smyth, Jukes, Forbes, 
Murchison, and Salter. IR JD, Ss 
Meteorology — Weather and Methods of Forecasting. Description of 
Meteorological Instruments and River Flood Predictions in the 
United States. By Tuomas RussELt, U. S. Assistant Engineer. 
Macmillan & Co., New York, 1895, pp. xxiil., 277. Illus- 
trations and maps. 
The scope of this new work on meteorology is indicated by the 
title page. As the author states in the preface, the main object of this 
book is to explain the use of the weather map, where it can be of use 
for the purpose of making predictions. ‘The method is based mainly 
on statistics of the observed condition of the air as to pressure, tem- 
perature, and humidity of particular types, and the weather following 
twenty-four hours or more after the occurrence of the type. Asa 
most important aid to this work the author gives a series of twenty-two 
type weather maps, each representative of about ten cases. Accom- 
panying each of these are maps showing the rainfall (1) for the twenty- 
four hours preceding the date of the weather map (2) for the twenty- 
four hours succeeding, and (3) for the time from twenty-four to forty- 
eight hours after. By the aid of these maps the successful prediction 
of storms will be greatly aided. 
The methods of predicting river heights for some important points 
along the lower Mississippi and its tributaries are given at some length. 
Rules and tables are given for computing the rise of floods when data 
from points higher up the stream are known. Another chapter is given 
to a brief description of various meteorological instruments, the list of 
which is quite complete. The principles involved in their construc- 
tion are considered. 
In addition to these topics, ‘‘almost everything that is considered to 
be of interest in relation to the weather is here given. The principal 
weather changes are described as they occur in various parts of the world 
in different seasons on land and sea, and their causes narrated so far as 
known. A collection of facts is given, useful in forming a conception 
of the phenomena of the atmosphere.” 
The chief criticism to be made of the book is lack of orderly 
