380 Notices respecting Js T ew Boohs. 



A short preface, pp. v to x, gives an account of the position 

 and management of the observatories; whilst an introduction, 

 pp. 1 to 8, describes very briefly the instrumental outfit and the 

 nature of the observations. The data for each of the five years 

 1S88 to 1S92 are in the first iustance treated separately. Thus 

 for 1888 we have for Ben Nevis itself tables for each month, 

 including hourly readings of the barometer, wet- and dry-bulb 

 thermometers, rainfall, sunshiue, direction and force of wind (scale 

 to 12), and amount of cloud (scale to 10). These tables give 

 also particulars for each day of the mean barometric pressure and 

 cloudiness, the maximum and minimum temperatures, the maximum 

 wind-force, and total amounts of rainfall and sunshine. Following 

 the Ben Xevis tables are corresponding but more restricted tables 

 for Port William. There is then a summary of mean monthly and 

 annual diurnal variations for Ben Xevis, and a transcript of the 

 entries made during the year in a log-book kept at the summit 

 observatory. The log treats in considerable detail of fogs, auroras, 

 halos, thunderstorms, and other miscellaneous phenomena. 

 • The records for the subsequent years 1889 to 1892 follow similar 

 lines ; only, after the institution of the low-level observatory, the 

 Fort William data appear in greater detail, and corresponding 

 tables for the base and the summit stations appear side by side in 

 adjacent pages. The five years' records occupy over -100 pages. 

 They are followed on p. 419 by a table summarizing the snowfall data 

 on Ben Nevis from 1883 to 1892 ; and after this area set of rather 

 incomplete records obtained with a Bobinson cup-anemometer, a 

 type of instrument difficult to work at the summit. On pp. 436 to 445 

 are a series of important tables, giving mean diurnal variations of 

 barometric pressure, temperature, &c, for each month of the year, 

 based on the observations of a number of years. From the title of 

 the volume one would have supposed that no data later than 1892 

 would have been available; but the tables just referred to utilize 

 the observations taken up to the end of 1896. 



The remainder of the volume forms an Appendix, consisting 

 mainly of miscellaneous meteorological papers, some apparently 

 new, others abstracts of papers previously published. Only a few 

 of them are exclusively confined to Ben Nevis data. Dr. Bucban 

 and Mr. Omoud discuss the differences between the diurnal 

 variations of the barometer in bright and in cloudy weather at 

 some nine stations. Mr. Buchanan has a general discussion of 

 the effects of fog on Ben Xevis meteorology. Mr. Aitken has a 

 report on observations of atmospheric dust. The remaining papers 

 are due to Dr. Buchan and to Messrs. Omond, Eankin, and 

 Mossman. Most are mainly observational or statistical in cha- 

 racter, but several — e. g. papers by Dr. Buchan on the influence 

 of high winds on the barometer, and by Mr. Omond on differences 

 between the Ben Xevis and Fort William barometers when both 

 are " reduced to sea-level "—are more theoretical. 



