62 



8CIENCE. 



[Vol. II., No. 23. 



The measured precipitation averaged twelve inches 

 and a quarter, to which Mr. Nelson estimates a 

 correction of one-half more must be added for un- 

 measurable drizzle and blown snow. The record and 

 discussion of the aurora is a valuable contribution 

 to the subject, and cannot be summarized. Thunder- 

 storms are almost unknown. Lightning was observed 

 but twice, and no thunder was heard during the whole 

 period. It is referred to as reported common on the 

 upper Yukon in summer; but in 1865-68, by the ex- 

 plorers of the Telegraph expedition on the upper 

 part of the river, thunder and lightning were not 

 observed on a single occasion. There are but two 

 seasons at St. Michaels, — winter (October-May) ajid 

 summer (the remaining five months). The sea is 

 open until about Oct. 15; and the ice disappears 

 in the spring, usually in early June. The tides are 

 small, but over the shallow sea adjacent the rise in 

 level due to gales is often sufficient to submerge the 

 marshy shores for miles inland. Gardening is not 

 a success, except for turnips, radishes, and lettuce. 

 The earliest birds, chiefly geese, begin to arrive iu 

 April; and the migration continues to June, the main 

 body of birds arriving between May 15 and 25. 

 Most of the birds leave for the south in August, 

 and the first sharp frost of September sends away 

 the laggards. 



— On the 1st of January, 1883, there were in exist- 

 ence 79 societies of geography, distributed all over 

 the world, with about 38,000 members. 



— The American society of mechanical engineers 

 met at Cleveland, O., June 14, President E. D. 

 Leavitt, jun., of Cambridge, Mass., in the chair. 

 Eighty members were present, and fifty-four were 

 elected, raising the total membership to four hundred 

 and sixteen. The papers were generally short, plain, 

 and practical. Mr. J. K. Holloway described a steam 

 starting gear for throwing marine engines ' off the 

 centre.' It consists of a steam-cylinder and a friction- 

 wheel on the main shaft, which can be actuated by 

 the auxiliary steam-cylinder. The device works either 

 way, and may be applied repeatedly if necessary. 

 Mr. Charles N. Comly detailed "his experience with 

 lubricating materials, resulting in the substitution of 

 grease for oil. Other members had found grease the 

 cheaper lubricant, but had observed that it had a 

 much higher coefficient of friction than oil. Mr. J. 

 E. Sweet described a new method of casting iron pipe 

 having flanges, making chilled flange-faces and cored 

 bolt-holes. Other papers remain to be reported. 

 During the session, it was announced that an honor- 

 ary degree had been conferred on President Leavitt 

 by the Stevens institute of technology. 



— W. H. Edwards announces that he will not, at 

 present, complete the Synopsis of species commenced 

 in the tenth part of his Butterflies of North America, 

 but substitute for it a mere list of species, which will 

 be issued with the next (concluding) part of the sec- 

 ond series. 



RECENT BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS. 



Anuuaire de I'^lectrJcitS pour 1883. (Ire ann^e), par A. 

 Reverend. Varis, GmUhier-Fillars,lSS3. 216 p., illustr. S°. 



Blanchet. Notice 8ur la naturalisation & Bayonne d'une 

 nouvelle plantc exotique. Dax, impr. Juslerg, 1883. 15 p. 8". 



Delfau. De la niaiadie dc la vignc caueie par le ptiyllox^rft 

 et de'son traitement etHcHce, facile et 6conomiquc. Peii:' 

 impr. de t'/iiMpencleiit. 1883. 34 p. 8*. 



iipigii 



English, T. Alfred, Haussen, C. .Julius, and Sturgeon, J. 

 Report on a scheme for supplying compressed air motive-power 

 in tlie town of Birmingham ; with tables and forruuhie for cal- 

 culating the useful effect obtained from compressed air, and 

 examples and diagrams showing the application thereof; with 

 confirmatory report by Prof. H. Robinson. New York, Spon, 

 1883. 60 p., illustr. 4°. 



Farmer, E. J. The resources of the Rocky Mountains; 

 being a brief description of the mineral, grazing, agricultural, 

 and timber resources of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, etc. Cleve- 

 land, 1883. illustr. 8°. 



Forbes, P. R. Sciences and spiritualism. Paris, impr. 

 Schlaeber, 1883. 16 p. 8°. 



Forestier, C. Paralliileentre I'instruction des sourds-muets 

 par le langage des signes et leur enseignement par rarticulalion 

 artificielle, sulvi de quelques observations sur la raelhode du 

 oilfebre Pei-iSre et sur les resolutions qu'a votiSes centre I'enseigne- 

 raent par le langage des signes le cohgres international tenu k 

 Milan du 6 au 12 septembre 1880 pour KamSlioration du sort des 

 sourds-muets. Lyon, impr. Pitrat, 1883. 8-t-90 p. 8°. 



Frankland, 1*. F. Agricultural chemical analysis. Founded 

 upon ' Leitfaden fur die ngriculturchemiker," von Dr. F. Krocker. 

 London, MaciniUan, 1SS3. 320 p. 8°. 



Guenot, C. Les chinois et les indous. Limoges, Barbout 

 1S83. Bibliotheque morale. 87 p. 12% 



India-rubber and gutta-percha and their cultivation. Lon- 

 don, Iladdon, 1883. 8° 



Jaffre, P. Th6orie complete 61ementaire des occultations. 

 Saint Nazaire, im;pr. J^ronit-WK, 1883. 24 p., pi. 4°. 



Keeping, W.- The fossils and paleontological aflinitics of 

 the neocomian deposits ofUpware and Brickhill; with plates: 

 being the Sedgwick prize essay for 1879. London, Cambridge 

 warehouset 1883. 8°, 



Knight, D. Morphology of the vertebrata. With plates. 

 London, Bryden, 1883. 8°. 



Kuropatkin. Kashgaria (Eastern or Chinese Turkestan) : 

 Historical, geographical, military, and industrial. Translated by 

 Major Gowan. London, Tliacker, 1883. 8°. 



Ladureau, A. L'acide sulfureux dans I'atmosph^re de 

 liille. Lille, impr. Danel, 1883. 8 p. 8°. 



Leplay, H. L'Osmose et Tosmogene Dubrunfaut dans la 

 fabrication et le raflinage des sucres. Paris, impr. Dubreuii, 1883. 

 104 p. 8°. 



Macrobe, A. Lailore pornographique, glossaire de T^cole 

 naturaliste extrait des oeuvres de M. Emile 2ola et de ses disci- 

 ples. Paris, Doubtelzerie, 1883. 230 p., illustr. 18°. 



Merrifleld, J. A treatise on navigation, for the use of 

 students. London, Longmans, 1883. 306 p. 8°. 



Miller, W. The heavenly bodies : their nature and habita- 

 bility. London, ^orfder, 1883. 354 p. 8°. 



Murgue, Daniel. The theories and practice of centrifugal 

 ventilating machines. Translated and with an introduction by A. 

 L. Steavenson. New York, Spon, 1883. 81 p. 8°. 



O^wen, T. C. Notes on cardamon cultivation. London, 

 Iladdon, liii. 8°. 



The cinchona planter's manual. London, 77a(?doM, 1883. 8". 



Pickering, E. C. Elements of physical manipulation. 

 Parts 1, 2. London, 3lacmillan, 1883. 



Rowan, T. Disease and putrescent air : some principles 

 which must govern the etlicicnt ventilation of sewers, and the 

 effective hygienic treatment of sewer-gas; also the sanitary ven- 

 tilation of house drains and connections. New York, Spon, 1883. 

 47 p. 8°. 



Roy, C. Destruction des phylloxeras par le sulfure de car- 

 bone au moyen des cubes gelatineux, expose scientifique et pra- 

 tique. Bordeaux, Feret, 1883. 40 p. 8°. 



Scientific Californian. Vol. 1, no. 1. San Francisco and 

 Oakland. 14 p., illustr. 4°. m. 



Scott, J. Draining and embanking: a practical treatise em- 

 bodying the most recent experience in the application of im- 

 proved methods. (Weale's series.) London, Lockwood, 1883. 

 132 p. 12°. 



Smyth, W.W. Evolution explained. London, ^toc*, 1883. 8*. 



Watt, A. The history of a lump of chalk : its family circle 

 and theiruses. London, ^../bAnstow, 1883. 96 p., illustr. 12°. 



Witz, A. L'^cole pratique de physique, cours de manipula- 

 tions de physique preparatoire a ia 'licence. Paris, Gauthier- 

 YiUara, 1883. 14-^606 p,. illustr. 8". 



