OCTOBEK 31, 1913] 



SCIENCE 



627 



The author begins with a brief account of 

 the aims and purposes of geology and the prep- 

 aration of geological maps and soil surveys. 

 He then passes to a discussion of the soils, 

 their origin and fertility; the climatic condi- 

 tions affecting them; their mineral and chem- 

 ical composition and physical characteristics; 

 drainage and irrigation; mineral fertilizers; 

 forests and woodlands and the associated geo- 

 logical features; orchards, gardens and vine- 

 yards; geological considerations concerning 

 estates ; mineral rights ; house sites with refer- 

 ence to drainage and water supply; closing 

 with a series of eleven chapters on the geo- 

 logical formations of the various ages as oc- 

 curring in England, with especial reference to 

 the subjects previously treated. It is remarked 

 that a map of the surface soil alone gives but a 

 very imperfect idea of the capabilities of the 

 land. Further, that no actual map showing 

 the distribution in detail of the surface soils 

 over any extended area has as yet been pub- 

 lished, the so-called soil maps of the United 

 States and Germany being in reality subsoil 

 maps with indications of the nature and depth 

 of the soil at particular spots. A good subsoil 

 map, showing the variations in the strata, 

 "whether drifts or the more regularly strati- 

 fied formations, will always indicate the gen- 

 eral distribution of the surface soils." 



The most original portion of the book is that 

 contained in the closing eleven chapters, in 

 which all the principal geological formations 

 of the kingdom are considered with reference 

 to their soils, mineral resources, drainage and 

 general availability for economic purposes. In 

 this respect the work is quite unique, and, 

 though local in its application, contains mat- 

 ter of value to the general reader. Illustra- 

 tions are numerous, although, as is customary 

 in works from the English press, line sketches 

 preponderate over the half-tone reproductions 

 from photographs, such as are so pronounced 

 a feature of American works. 



Mr. Woodward, it will be recalled, is also 

 the author of the " History of the Geological 

 Society of London," and " The Geology of 

 Water Supply." 



George P. Merrill 



NOTES ON METEOROLOGY AND 

 CLIMATOLOGY 



EtIROPEAN METEOROLOGY 



European meteorologists have recently 

 given much attention to aeronautical, dynam- 

 ical and mountain meteorology and to atmos- 

 pheric electricity. In aeronautical meteorol- 

 ogy greatest attention is being given to wind 

 structure and to detailed forecasts for aviators. 

 Research in dynamical meteorology is now 

 particularly directed towards finding the laws 

 governing the connection between upper-air 

 processes and the weather at the earth's sur- 

 face, with a view toward increased accuracy 

 and range of weather forecasts. 



An important institution for the study of 

 dynamic meteorology is the set of synoptic 

 charts of the atmospheric conditions over 

 Europe, prepared under the direction of Pro- 

 fessor V. Bjerknes, of Leipzig, from the 

 monthly international aerological observa- 

 tions. Professor Bjerknes is the author of the 

 still unfinished great work on " Dynamic 

 Meteorology and Hydrography " which is be- 

 ing prepared under the auspices of the Car- 

 negie Institution of Washington. The vol- 

 umes on statics and kinematics have already 

 appeared; and two more on dynamics and 

 thermodynamics are yet to come. 



In mountain meteorology, the fohn, local 

 whirls and the difference in temperature be- 

 tween mountains and the free air at equal 

 elevations have recently been studied. 



Concerning atmospheric electricity, Mr. F. 

 Schindelhauer in a thorough work entitled, 

 " Tiber die Electrizitat der Niederschlage," ' 

 has discussed the results of the registration of 

 the electricity of precipitation at Potsdam, 

 1909 to 1911. The electricity of precipitation 

 is thought to be from the splitting up of large 

 drops (Lenard waterfall effect), from the in- 

 fluence of the charge of the air, or the result 

 of friction with the electrified air (dirigible 

 balloons are sometimes ignited from electricity 

 thus generated). Dr. K. Kahler in an article 

 entitled " Der Einfluss des Wetters auf die 



* VeroffentUchungen des Kon. Preussisehen Met. 

 Inst., 1913, No. 263. 



