Miscellaneoits Intelligence. 589 



imum of 42° F. to a minimum of — 58'5°, with very rapid and 

 violent fluctuations at all seasons but not always associated with 

 changes of wind direction. It was found that polar winds 

 brought with them an increase of temperature. The summers 

 were remarkably cold with but few days having a mean temper- 

 ature above 32°. The highest daily mean noted was 26 2° and 

 the lowest — 21°. The air was found remarkably dry and trans- 

 parent with but little fog and slight precipitation, and the sun- 

 shine was remarkably abundant. In December, 1903, for 

 example, an average of 16 hours per day was registered. The 

 range of pressure was between 30*181 and 28*140 inches, and the 

 observations showed the common semi-diurnal oscillations 

 amounting to '002 inches. Other interesting points are brought 

 out in the report, which gives also a summary of results at other 

 stations in the antarctic. The volume is accompanied by a series 

 of large maps and some excellent reproductions of views and of 

 solar phenomena. 



Physical Observations with discussions by various authors. 

 Pp. v, 192, 21 plates, 2 maps. — The subjects discussed in this vol- 

 ume are as follows : Tidal observations in the Antarctic, 1902-3 ; 

 pendulum observations ; earthquakes and other, earth movements 

 recorded in the Antarctic, 1902-3 ; auroral observations 1902-3 ; 

 magnetic observations, 1902-4. The magnetic observations 

 have a particular interest because they were carried on at numer- 

 ous points in the proximity of the south magnetic pole. The 

 probable position of the pole was determined independently by 

 observations of the declination, and also by those of the inclina- 

 tion. The results obtained in the two cases agree within a few 

 minutes of each other. The mean of the two positions, viz. 

 latitude 72° 51' S., longitude 156° 25' E., is regarded as a close 

 indication of the center of the polar area. This position places 

 the pole about 200 geographical miles east of the place assigned 

 to it by Sabine (1841), indicating a probable change of position 

 in this direction. 



It is noted that the auroral displays, although frequent, were in 

 general extremely poor. A series of excellent plates, however, 

 represent some exceptional cases of striking character ; in these 

 irregular bands, made up of rays or vertical shafts close together, 

 formed the so-called draped aurorse. 



3. Road Preservation and Dust Prevention ; by William 

 Pierson Judson. Pp. 146. New York, 1908 (The Engineering 

 Xews Publishing Co.). — The subject of this book is one in which 

 recent developments have made our communities more deeply 

 interested than ever before, viz., the preservation of the surface 

 of macadamized roads arid the prevention of dust in connection 

 with them. Those concerned with this topic will find the matter 

 presented from the practical standpoint, with a careful consider- 

 ation of the various methods that have been suggested for 

 accomplishing the ends in view. 



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