162 Scientific Intelligence. 



It is interesting to note that Mr. C. G. Abbot, for a number of 

 years in charge of the Astrophysical Observatory established 

 under Professor Langley, has now been made director. The 

 work of the Observatory, carried on during the year both on Mt. 

 Wilson and at Washington, has continued the former investiga- 

 tions of the intensity of the solar radiation and its relation to 

 the earth's temperature. The results accomplished are briefly 

 summarized as follows : " The investigations have resulted in 

 apparently definitely fixing the approximate average value of the 

 ' solar constant' at 2-1 calories per square centimeter per minute, 

 and in showing decisively that there is a marked fluctuation 

 about this mean value, sufficient in magnitude to influence very 

 perceptibly the climate, at least of inland regions, upon the 

 earth." The second volume of the Annals, now in press, includes 

 an account of the work of the Observatory from 1900 to 1907. 



2. Report on the Progress and Condition of the IT. S. 

 National Museum for the Year ending June 30, 1907. Pp. 118. 

 Washington, 1907. — The account of the work accomplished by 

 the National Museum for the past year, given briefly in the 

 Report of the Secretary of the Smithonian Institution as noted 

 above, is here presented in detail by Dr. Rathbun. The progress 

 toward completion of the new building is fully described, as also 

 the work on the collections, in a number of lines of research and 

 in various explorations. The volume closes with a list of acces- 

 sions for the year and also of papers published under the auspices 

 of the Museum. 



3. Carnegie Institution of Washington. Year Booh No. 6, 

 1907. Pp. vii, 230, with 11 plates. Washington, January, 1908. 

 (Published by the Institution.) — This report gives an interesting 

 account of the work of the Carnegie Institution for the year 

 ending October 31, 1907. As noted by President Woodward, 

 the Institution has developed veiy rapidly since its foundation 

 in 1902, so that all its resources are now called for to meet 

 •present demands. The income expended during the past six 

 years reaches the large sum of 12,683,000 ; of this 11,202,300 

 has been devoted to the support of large projects, nearly 1700,000 

 has gone for minor and special projects and research associates 

 and assistants, $140,600 for publication, $234,000 for administra- 

 tion, and the remainder for investments and for the administra- 

 tion building. The allotment for the past year amounts to 

 $520,000 for large grants, while 164,000 was assigned for minor 

 grants, $25,400 for research associates and assistants, $16,600 for 

 publication and $10,870 for administration. The fact is noted 

 that the amount devoted to work in the physical sciences, includ- 

 ing biology, preponderates largely ; but this course finds justi- 

 fication in the relative prominence of this line of investigation 

 at the present time. The larger projects, to which the greater 

 part of the year's income is devoted, are the same as those 

 enumerated in the notice of Year Book No. 5, published a year 

 since (see vol. xxiii, p. 156). It is to be noted, however, that 



