176 METEOROLOGY Al^D SUN SPOTS. 



This remarkable phenomena was inexplicable till Despretz showed that 

 sea water in cooling does not follow the ordinary law which governs fresh 

 water when it cools from forty degrees to the freezing point. But sea water 

 increases in density regularly as it «ools, hence the coldest water is always 

 at the bottom. Sea water freezes at twenty-seven degrees Fahrenheit, or 

 five below the freezing point of water; hence, as the coastal waters cool in 

 the fall on the Labrador and northeast Newfoundland shores the bottom 

 layer of water acquires, during a cold snap, a temperature of five degrees 

 below the freezing point of fresh water, and from every rough surface, such 

 as stones, bits of sand, seal net corks, seal nets themselves, minute spicule 

 of ice form, first at and near the bottom, where the water is coldest, and 

 these very rapidly accumulate, break off and rise to the surface, forming 

 the "lolly." When sealers see "lolly" forming they at once take up their 

 seal nets ; and it often happens on the Labrador coast that seals taken in 

 nets sunk fifty feet below the surface are found frozen solid when brought 

 to the surface. — Journal of Applied Science. 



Meteorology and Sun Spots. — In a report by a committee of the Brit- 

 ish Association we find the following: "Recent investigations have in- 

 creased the probability of a physical connection between the condition of 

 the sun's surface and the meteorology and magnetism of our globe. 



" In the first place, we have the observations of Sir E. Sabine, which 

 seem to indicate a connection between sun-spots and magnetic disturbances, 

 inasmuch as both phenomena are periodical, and have their maxima and 

 minima at the same times. 



"On the other hand, the researches of Messrs. Baxendell and Meldrum 

 appear to indicate a relation between the wind-currents of the earth and its 

 magnetism, and also between the earth's wind-currents and the state of the 

 sun's surface. 



" In the last place, the researches of Messrs. De la Rue, Stewart, and 

 Loewy, appear to indicate a connection between the behavior of sun-spots 

 and the position of the more prominent planets of our system. Whatever 

 be the probability of the conclusions derived from these various researches, 

 they at least show the wisdom of studying together in the future these vari- 

 ous branches of science." — Scribner. 



