OCTOBEK 19, 1SS;3.] 



SCIENCE. 



noted was 28. il inches. The second hurricane 

 came from Ihe West Indies about the 24th, and 

 reached the Banks ontlie 29th, onl^- three days 

 after the passage of the former hurricane, re- 

 peating the disasters to the lishiug-vessels. Its 

 violence was great as it continued across the 

 Atlantic, and approached the British coasts 

 early in September. As this storm passed up 

 the Atlantic, very high tides were experienced 

 on llie coast, much damage being thereby in- 

 flicted on the New Jersey shore on the 2'Jth. 

 Very few icebergs were reported during the 

 month. 



The average temperatures were above the 

 normal only in Florida, the Rio Grande valley, 

 and in the middle and southern portions of the 

 Rocky Mountain region, the departures being 

 within a degree, except at Salt Lake City (2°). 

 In other districts the departures ranged from 

 0°.l, in the eastern Gulf states, to 4°. 4, in the 

 upper Mississippi valley. Yuma, Arizona, 

 reports a mean temperature of 91°, and a maxi- 

 mum of 111°. Frosts were reported from the 

 northern states, especially at the end of the 

 month. 



The rainfall record can be best shown by 

 the above table, which shows the unusual defi- 

 ciency of the month in almost every section, 

 which especialh' affected the crops in the south. 

 Remarkably heavj' rains were recorded in a 

 few instances, — 10.38 inches at Griffin, Ga., 

 in eight hours ; and 8.14 inches at Kittyhawk, 

 N.C., in four hours. In the cotton region the 

 rainfall was ranch less than in August of last 



year, the amount at Xcw Orleans being 2.7(1 

 inches, against 8.38 inches a year ago. 



Lociil storms were not numerous, but were 

 quite severe, especially in Iowa, on the 7th and 

 8th. On the 21st there was a veritable tor- 

 nado in Minnesota, whicli devastated the town 

 of Rochester, causing a loss of over thirtj- 

 lives, and much damage to property. 



Seven auroral displays occurred, but none 

 were of especial note. The following electrical 

 phenomenon is reported from Pike's Peak : — 



"The observer on the summit of Pike's 

 Peak, Col., reported that during a sleet and 

 thunder storm, on the evening of the 4th, the 

 anemometer cups revolved in circles of electric 

 light. After a flash of lightning, the light en- 

 circling the cups became dim, but would soon 

 regain its former brilliancy. The observer 

 states, that, by holding up his hands, electric 

 sparks would form on the ends of his fingers, 

 and that his hair and clothing were full of them. 

 A peculiar crackling noise was heard about the 

 anemometer cups ; and at the corners of the 

 office building there were continuous sparks of 

 bright light." 



Earthquake-shocks occurred at Oakland, 

 C'al., Carson Cit\-, Nev., St. Thomas, W.I. At 

 the last-named place a tidal wave occurred on 

 the 27th, and at San Francisco on the 27lh and 

 28th. Earthquake waves, whose height was one 

 foot, and time between crests fort}- minutes, 

 were recorded on the Saucclito tide-gauge. It 

 is supposed they were caused by the earth- 

 quake in Java on the 27th. 



A dense smoke, due to forest-fires in Oregon 

 and Washington. Idaho and Montana territo- 

 ries, prevailed during a greater part of the 

 month, and extended on the Pacific coast as 

 far south as Cape Mendocino, and thence east- 

 ward to eastern ilontana, Dakota, and Min- 

 nesota. 



The accompanying chart exhibits the mean 

 pressure, temperature, and wind-direction, for 

 the month. 



THE INVENTIOX AND SPREAD OF 

 BROXZE. 



At the thirteenth session of the German .inthro- 

 pological congress, held .it Trier early In August, 

 Professor Rudolph Vlrcliow, the presuleiit, gave an 

 address, the substance of which we quote from the 

 Frankfurter zeilunrj of Aug. 11. 



In beginning the president remarked, that, in the 

 choice of Trier as the place of assembly for this 

 ye.ir's congress, it was considered that the city and 

 its surroundings were especially suited by their situa- 

 tion for the solution of the often-broached question 

 of celts. The speaker then reviewed in a general 



