Literary Notices. 477 



founded upon principles which he does not explain, but which, he 

 asserts, have usually led to correct anticipations. He says, 

 " Although we are unable to say positively that there will be rain 

 in any^ period — say of seven or eight days — yet the probability 

 approximates so nearly to a certainty, that we may reasonably 

 expect rain or fair weather about the times herein stated, and this 

 expectation leads us to watch more carefully the signs of change." 

 Those who buy this little book may amuse themselves by testing 

 the value of these prophecies. 



Photographs of Eminent Medical Men op all Countries. 

 With brief Analytical Notices of their Works. Edited by Wm. 

 Tindal Robertson, M.D., M.C.P. The Photographic Portraits from 

 Life, by Ernest Edwards, B.A. Cantab. No. 7, Vol. II. 

 (Churchill and Sons.) — The portraits now given of this interesting 

 series are those of Erasmus Wilson, P.R.S., Sir James Bardsley, 

 and Dr. Thomas Hawkes Tanner. They are all good. 



Climbing the Hill. A Story for the Household, by the author 

 of "A Trap to Catch a Sunbeam." (Groombridge and Sons.) — ■ 

 A tale by the author of so exquisite a story as "A Trap to Catch a 

 Sunbeam," cannot fail to be welcome. The present story relates 

 to a young couple "climbing the hill." It is gracefully told, and 

 being published in a very handsome form, will make an appropriate 

 new year's gift. 



Pain : How, When, Where, and Why it is Measured. Being 

 a Popular Account of Rainfall Investigations. With Numerous 

 Illustrations. By G. J. Symons, P.M.S. Editor of " British Rain- 

 fall," and " Symons' Monthly Meteorological Magazine." (Stan- 

 ford : Simpkin.) — This is the best book on the subject to~assist in 

 spreading a knowledge of various matters pertaining to rainfall, 

 the methods of measuring it, and the utility of the process. Some 

 of the tabular matter is especially interesting, such as the " Fluc- 

 tuations in the Eall of Rain from 1726 to 1865," and the " Approxi- 

 mate mean Annual Depth of Rain at 165 Stations," in which we 

 observe Lincoln, Southwell, and Stamford stand lowest at 20 inches, 

 while the Stye, near Southwaite, in Cumberland, is at the head of 

 the wet places, and shows an average of 165 inches. London 

 stands at 24 inches, being the same as Norwich and Edinburgh. 

 In addition to this information, we want to know the average mois- 

 ture in the air, as places may have a good deal of rain distributed 

 in heavy showers, and yet be on the average much drier than other 

 spots where the rainfall is less, and the quantity of vapour greater. 

 Mr. Symons points out the necessity of using the hygrometer as 

 well as the rain-guage, and we hope that, in a few years, accurate 

 information on the English climatology will be obtained. We agree 

 with Mr. Symons' suggestion that local authorities should undertake 

 the slight expense required for daily observation and records. 

 Wind should be registered as well as rain and moisture, and so 

 should temperature and atmospheric pressure. Magnetic and 

 electric observations need not be so general, but should be esta- 

 blished upon a system at public cost. 



The Boy's Own Boor. A Complete Encyclopedia of Sports, 



