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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XL. No. 10S9 



years. The first edition (1901) was at once 

 accorded its rightful place at the head of the 

 list of our meteorological text-books. No 

 other book approached it as a complete, sys- 

 tematic, masterful discussion of the whole 

 range of meteorological phenomena. The 

 well-arranged and carefully selected bibliog- 

 raphy alone was worth the cost of the entire vol- 

 ume. In 1906 came the second edition, in which 

 the author introduced certain changes intended 

 to make the " Lehrbuch " somewhat more 

 popular, using that term in the best sense. 

 The number of pages was reduced by 150; 

 some of the less important details were 

 omitted, and considerable reduction was made 

 in the bibliographic notes. In this form the 

 book, embodying all the noteworthy additions 

 to meteorological knowledge which had been 

 made during the years 1901-1906, became a 

 most valued text and reference book to an in- 

 creased number of readers. 



To the great satisfaction of all workers in 

 meteorological science. Professor von Hann 

 has found opportunity, in the midst of his 

 many other activities, and in spite of his ad- 

 vancing years, to revise his " Lehrbuch " once 

 more, this time with the cooperation of Pro- 

 fessor Siiring. What we noted, in these col- 

 umns, in regard to the first edition of this 

 remarkable work is true, with added empha- 

 sis, of the latest issue. The general plan of 

 the original edition has again been followed, 

 in that the book has been increased in size, 

 and the bibliographic notes, which were much 

 reduced in the 1906 edition, have been re- 

 stored, extended and brought down to date. 

 For the purposes of the working meteorolo- 

 gist the new edition naturally has a greater 

 value than the second, excellent as the latter 

 was. No one can read over the new " Lehr- 

 buch" without being profoundly impressed 

 by the author's extraordinarily complete 

 grasp of the whole range of meteorological 

 literature. Everything is discussed in the 

 light of the latest information which we have, 

 and everywhere we see the touch of the mas- 

 ter-hand, in the clean-cut, weU-balaneed and 

 thoroughly digested discussions. Thorough 

 as the treatment is, with marked emphasis 



upon the physical aspects of all the phenom- 

 ena, the reader who is unfamiliar with mathe- 

 matical analysis will not find the volume diffi- 

 cult to study. For, following the excellent 

 plan already adopted in the first edition, the 

 more technical mathematical and physical 

 sections are included in an appendix. Special 

 attention has been paid to the latest results 

 of the aerological investigations which have 

 become so important a branch of modem 

 meteorology. The chapters on aerology, on 

 clouds and on atmospheric electricity were 

 prepared by Professor Siiring, who is pecu- 

 liarly competent to deal with these subjects. 



Two of the matters concerning which 

 meteorologists, as a whole, are still imcertain 

 are the general circulation of the atmosphere 

 and the theory of cyclones and anticyclones. 

 Probably many readers of the " Lehrbuch " 

 will turn at once to the discussion of these 

 matters, in the hope that they may clear up 

 their own minds on these debated topics. A 

 reading of the sections in which these subjects 

 are considered shows very clearly the gaps in 

 our present knowledge of the facts, and the 

 difficulty of giving satisfactory explanations 

 under these circumstances. The case is 

 stated clearly in the light of our present 

 knowledge, but it is not a closed case. 



Meteorologists will find, in the new edition 

 of the " Lehrbuch der Meteorologie," their one 

 absolutely indispensable reference book. 

 Their colleagues, workers in other branches 

 of science, will inevitably refer to this vol- 

 ume for the information which they may need 

 to help them in their own investigations. 

 Thus von Hann's " Lehrbuch " stands as the 

 master-work on the science of the earth's at- 

 mosphere. 



R. DeO. Ward 



Harvaed University 



Die physihalische Ohemie der Proteine. By 

 Dr. T. Brailsford Eobertson, professor of 

 physiological chemistry and pharmacology 

 in the University of California. Trans- 

 lated by F. A. Wyncken. Dresden, Verlag 

 von Theodor Steinkopff. 1912. Pp. 447. 

 This book is a careful compilation of inves- 



