192 
—so that the station was abandoned. This 
movement was not due to wind, nor to a mag- 
netic storm, nor to any mechanical jarring of 
the earth. 
Except an indefinite item in a newspaper, I 
have seen no mention of a similar experience. 
To determine whether there is from trees such 
a discharge of electricity as might affect a deli- 
cate magnetic needle, I made (in 1895) a coil 
about 80 cm. diameter of fifty turns of wire, 
mounted on the end of a long pole, with a con- 
tact breaker and a telephone receiver in circuit, 
and had this coil held in such relation to large, 
dense limbs of trees as to enclose the lines of 
magnetic force from a discharge stream (if 
there be one) of electricity from the limb, se- 
lecting limbs in such direction as would make 
the coil when in proper relation lie in the mag- 
netic meridian plane, determined by simple 
compass. 
April 8th-12th, buds just swelling on decid- 
uous trees, I tried a number of trees, including 
two or three evergreens. I could hear no dis- 
turbance in the telephone, in any position of the 
coil. Then putting the coil in the magnetic 
meridian, as explained above, to make the 
action (if any) stronger than mere variation of 
discharge, I had the circuit opened and closed. 
Still there was not the slightest effect per- 
ceptible. In the latter half of May, leaves 
quite fully developed on all except the various 
oaks, the experiments were repeated with the 
same negative results. 
According to Dr. Waller’s experiments, it 
would have been better to try my experiment 
in June (when the unexplained action was 
observed), rather than April and May, the 
leaves then being in fuller vigor and the tem- 
perature higher. 
I. THORNTON OSMOND., 
STATE COLLEGE, PA., 
January 21, 1901. 
SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION TO ICELAND, GREEN- 
LAND AND LABRADOR. 
A GEOLOGICAL and geographical excursion in 
the North Atlantic is planned for the summer 
of 1901. Conditionally on the formation of a 
sufficiently large party, a steamer of about 1,000 
tons, specially adapted for ice navigation, and 
capable of accommodating sixty men, will leave 
SCIENCE. 
[N.S. Vou. XIII. No. 318. 
Boston on or about June 26th and return to the 
same point on or about September 20th. The 
main object of the voyage will be to offer to the 
members of the excursion party opportunity of 
studying the volcanic cones and lava-fields, the 
geysers, ice-caves and glaciers of Iceland, the 
fiords and glaciers of the west coast of Green- 
land, and the mountains and fiords of Northern 
Labrador. Some attention will be paid to the 
hydrographic conditions of the waters traversed. 
Botanists, zoologists, ornithologists, mineralo- 
gists and those interested in other branches of 
natural history may pursue independent studies. 
A hunting party may take part in the expedi- 
tion ; it could be landed for a fortnight or three 
weeks in Greenland and for about the same 
period in Labrador. ’ 
Explanatory lectures on the regions visited 
will be given from time to time by the leader 
of the excursion, who will also act as guide on 
the Labrador coast where he spent the summer 
of 1900. It is expected that in Greenland and 
Iceland, specialists on the geology and physical 
geography of these countries will lead the 
party. Wherever possible the attempt will be 
made to increase the stock of existing informa- 
tion concerning the three regions. It is desir- 
able, though not necessary, that applicants for 
membership in the party possess at least an 
elementary knowledge of geology. Citizens of 
other countries as well as of the United States 
are invited to participate in the expedition. A 
physician will accompany the party. 
An inclusive fee of $500 for each member will 
be charged, $250 to be deposited with the leader 
of the expedition on or before March 15th, the 
balanee to be paid on or before June Ist. 
The trip will be under the direction of the 
writer, and applications for membership should 
be addressed to him. 
: R. A. DALY, 
Department of Geology and Geography, Harvard 
University. 
CURRENT NOTES ON METEOROLOGY. 
REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE WEATHER 
BUREAU. 
THE ‘Report of the Chief of the Weather 
Bureau for 1900’ devotes considerable space to 
forecasts. The beginning of storm forecasts for 
