756 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 
Feb. 2st Mar. lst Mar. 11th 
to 28th. to 10th. to 20th Mean 
TEMPERATURE. 
ENG ree DS sa pee sue et ae 174 20.6 24.9 21.0 
Maxs sity seaieanieer tie wages: 41.5 41 4 47 3 43.4 
Mean of Max and Min. 29.4 31.0 36.1 32.2 
Rian seni y eee te Se Easy een tay. | Mg 241 20 8 22.4 25 8 
Mia aT yeaa hy went Mats Weds 20 6 23.6 29 38 24.5 
Dip Pm SRC os ame 31 37 6 40.5 37.4 
Oip imams eee coe aay 27.5 29.9 33.0 30 1 
Miganbiriis, toe Dac eteh i aps 27.9 $0.2 34.0 30.7 
Ret. Humipirtvy. 
TRACER eau ac ae ls eae 89 78 83 
Dine rn gee tga Tues tape aed Beedibad 74 76 75 
OMEN eta ane is ater sate ay ue ° isi 83 82 
Meany eet iain, Se Wites (a .80 78 79 
PRESSURE, sea-level, 32° F. 
Uf Cistr NRMRIN  aie O ay aeca ial 28795 28.85 28 77 28.86 
Dapvginiicaacivst Welt ah sei cr Ce Mie ta ad 28.91 28.81 28 7. £8. 85 
iat ene Sans sain Mea ash 28 94 28.83 28 77 28. 85 
Miean ae eer eaks ag pale ation Die 28.93 28.83 28.76 28. 84 
WIND 
Miles Traveled... 2... [om | 4,075 5,078 |. 12/203 
Rain. 
Dnrcheseiucn erence aoc wide ae | whe | 1.09 25 | 1.34 
CLOUDS—TORNADOES AND ELECTRICITY. 
S. A. MAXWELL, MORRISON, ILL. 
Many theories have been advanced to account for the marvelous freaks play- 
ed by tornadoes. Some who have examined into it, have asserted that these 
frightful storms are caused by the rushing together of two currents of air from 
different directions; others maintain that the phenomenon itself, and the remarkable 
circumstances attending, are both due to the action of electricity. In my opinion 
the holders of both these theories are ‘‘ partly in the right and partly in the wrong.” 
Every one is familiar with the little whirlwinds, which are so common in dry, 
warm weather in the spring. These never occur on cloudy days, for the reason 
that heat is not generated at the surface of the earth in sufficient quantity to produce 
ascending currents efair. That there is a strong upward current in the center of 
the whirl, both in ordinary whirlwinds and in tornadoes, has many times been 
proved by observation. Where such current is formed, from whatever cause, the 
tendency is to produce a vacuum at the surface of the earth directly beneath; 
but this is prevented, since the surrounding air, in obedience to a well-known 
physical law, rushes in trom all sides, and, finding no other outlet, escapes up- 
ward with the ascending current, whose destructive power is thus greatly increas- 
ed by the additions produced by its own action. The rushing together of these 
under currents almost invariably causes a rotary or whirling motion, on account, 
no doubt, of their unequal velocities and densities. This whirling motion is fa- 
miliar to all; for it is seen in the Ifttle eddies, produced where rapid currents in a 
stream of water mingle with those of slower motion, or with the waters of a stag- 
nant pool. The surface air being warm and moist, in ascending as described, is 
suddenly cooled, and therefore condensed into a thick cloud, which, on account 
