SCIENCE. 



387 



March storms. 



Total movement of air in miles. 



Storm-tracks have also been drawn for the 

 Atlantic : these show a much less 

 stormy month than usual. During 

 the first half, the movement of 

 storm-centres was checlied by an 

 area of high pressure over the ocean, 

 and extending from Europe west- 

 ward to the 45th meridian. In con- 

 sequence of tliis high area, easterly 

 and sonth-easterl}^ winds prevailed, 

 thus favoring vessels bound west- 

 ward. The lowest pressure reported 

 was 29.1 inches, to the south of 

 Newfoundland, on the 27th. 



Icebergs and field-ice were most 

 numerous in the parts of the ocean 

 indicated by the shaded portion 

 of the accompanying map, which 

 shows tlie southern and eastern 

 limits of icebergs in the North 

 Atlantic, based on the reports of 

 shipmasters. New York herald 

 weather-service, and data pub- 

 lished by the New York maritime 

 register. 



The precipitation was markedly 

 less than in previous 3"ears ; all sec- 

 tions east of the 97th meridian ex- 

 hibiting a deficienc}', except the 

 South Atlantic States, -|-.4; Flori- 

 da peninsula, -|-l-4; and the west- 

 ern Gulf States, -\-.6. The mean 

 deficiency for this whole region was 

 .76 inch. The threatened drought in the 

 Pacific States, as noted in Februaiy, was brok- 

 en by rains in the latter part of this month. 

 These were sufficient to assure the success 

 of the .wheat-crop. Five feet of snow in the 

 streets of Montreal were reported on the 7th. 



The table in the next column gives the total 

 movement of the air in March at several 

 stations. 



These figures show, with only a single ex- 

 ception, less movement during the present 

 month than for three years. The air moved 

 at the rate of 1,123 miles per day, or 34,800 



miles during the month, across Mount Wash- 

 ington ; and velocities above 100 miles per 

 hour were reported on the 6th, 7th, 10th, 14th, 





18th, and 25th. In the latter case the wind 

 reached 150 miles in an hour. 



Cautionarj' signals to the number of 117 

 were displaj-ed ; and of these, 115, or 98 %, 

 were justified. 



Auroras were seen on nearly every day of 

 the mouth, but none veiy brilliant. The most 

 extensive occurred on the 1st, 2d, and 3d. 

 Professor Todd of Amherst reported sunspots, 

 least in number on the 3d ; and most, about 

 the 24th. Earthquake-shocks were reported 

 from Waterloo, Canada, between 10 and 11 

 A.M., of the 11th, and at 6.57 p.m., of the 



