SCIENCE. 



FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1883. 



THE CHIEF SIGNAL-OFFICER'S 

 HE PORT. 



The report proper of the chief signal-officer 

 of the army for tlie jxar ending June 30, 1883, 

 has been pnbHshcd in advance of the complete 

 volume, which will contain the usual appen- 

 dices. When compared with those of previous 

 j-ears, it presents a marked and most gratifying 

 contrast. The useless and tiresome repetition 

 of much that has appeared regulai'lj- since the 

 organization of the service is no longer in- 

 dulged in ; and, in fact, the present report is 

 brief, fresh, and vigorous. It is pleasant to 

 see, that, among the various topics discussed, 

 the first place is given to ' Instruction in 

 meteorology.' Although somewhat crippled 

 b}' lack of sufBcient appropriation, this work 

 has not been allowed to retrograde ; and the 

 encouraging fact is noted, that, out of a hundred 

 and seventj--two enlistments made during the 

 past two 3X>ars, fift3--three were college gradu- 

 ates. 



Gen. Hazen argues ably and pointedl}' 

 against the inadequate provision made b}- the 

 last Congress. The separation of the signal- 

 service from the army proper, as far as its 

 support from the general appropriation goes, 

 undoubtedl3' left the service in a worse condi- 

 tion, even, than was intended by those who 

 sought to reduce its expenditures. The result 

 has been, that a number of stations have neces- 

 sarily been closed, and much important work 

 of the weather bureau has been suspended. It 

 is certainly to be hoped that it may receive 

 more generous treatment at the hands of the 

 present Congress. 



An interesting risumi of the scientific work 

 of the weather bureau is given, which indicates 

 a commendable activity- in that direction. One 

 of the most important announcements is, that a 

 new standard of thermometry has been adopted 

 " which no longer agrees with that of the Yale 



No. 47.— 1883. 



college observatory, but approaches more near- 

 ly to that of the International bureau of weights 

 and measures." Another is, that steps have 

 been taken to inaugurate in the immediate 

 future a series of elaborate observations upon 

 atmospheric electricity. The continuation of 

 the publication of ' Professional papers ' by 

 members of the scientific corps is noted, one 

 of the most important of which is that on 

 ' Movements of the atmosphere,' by Professor 

 Ferrel. It is gratifying to observe throughout 

 the report, that scientific meteorology is receiv- 

 ing a recognition to a degree much greater than 

 formerly. 



A brief history of the unfortunate Greely 

 expedition is presented, and the statement 

 made that it is intended to apply for an appro- 

 priation to enable another relief expedition to 

 be sent out in 1884. 



The report covers twenty-two pages, instead 

 of three or four times that number, as was the 

 case in previous years ; but, as a report of 

 progress for the year, it is much more valuable 

 than its predecessors. A similarly judicious 

 treatment of the appendices and meteorological 

 summaries, which will follow this report, would 

 bring the whole into a much more useful and 

 manageable form, and would not be the least 

 important of the man}- reforms introduced into 

 the service b}' its present chief. 



ROMA LEA MICROPTERA. 



Should the return of spring be earl}-, and 

 the winter just passed an oi)en one, a rambler 

 in the meadows of southern Louisiana is very 

 likel}-, during the middle of February, or per- 

 haps even earlier, to have his attention drawn 

 to curious little colonies of red and black 

 grasshoppers. 



Those are the young of Romalca microptera. 

 Until tills summer 1 never saw a living adult 

 specimen of this handsome insect, anil my e.'c- 

 aminntion of it had been confined to a few 

 individuals in alcohol. No sooner, however, 

 had I thoroughly examined one of these little 



