SOMETHING ABOUT TORNADOES. 99 



curing hiccups. Cause the sufferer to hold his arms above his head for a few- 

 minutes. Startle him with some sensational news, specially imagined, and the 

 inconvenience will be the more speedily laid. 



The Touaregs tribes, occupying the South of Algeria, have breeds of sheep 

 and asses remarkable for their immense size, only the former have hair instead of 

 wool. A society is in process of formation to acclimatise many European animals 

 in Algeria, and to work up the natural products of that country. It is thus that 

 sponge is being exported of late, though it be not of such a superior quality as that 

 from the Grecian Archipelago. Attention will also be directed to the rearing of 

 bees, of which the rich flora of the colony and its mild climate present superior 

 advantages. 



Two volumes worth reading, " Les Infininent petits," by Felix Heinent, 

 and the " Curability and Treatment of Pulmonary Consumption," by Dr. Jaccoud. 

 The Doctor dissipates many obscure points, and his work is written in so seductive 

 a style as to cease to have the air of a medical treatise. M. Jaccoud is the author 

 of that profound remark, " The treatment of the phthisical is only a long medita- 

 tion upon death." 



METEOROLOGY. 



SOMETHING ABOUT TORNADOES. 



BY S. A. MAXWELL, MORRISON, ILL. 



In studying the charts contained in the reports of the Chief Signal Officer, 

 I discovered a number of facts relative to tornadoes, which, so far as I know, 

 have never yet appeared in print. One of these is the fact that these meteors 

 almost invariably occur on the south side of the line of minimum barometric 

 pressure. I have said almost invariably, because my investigations are yet quite 

 limited — having extended but little outside the year 1878. During the period 

 included in the investigation, there does not occur a sfngle exception to the rule, 

 as the facts herein stated will show. 



Areas of low barometer or storm areas, generally move across the United 

 States in an easterly direction ; and the storms accompanying take very nearly 

 the same course. It has been determined that the greater quantity of rainfall 

 takes place in the front half of the area of low pressure. This is evidently due 

 to the fact that warm winds prevail in this portion ; and these as they approach 

 the storm-center rise to the region of " upper clouds, " where their moisture is 

 •condensed, and precipitation is the result. Now the following facts will show 



