264 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



Buchan's chart of equal diurnal variations of pressure ; special 

 annual and seasonal temperature charts for Europe, the United 

 States and the Arctic regions ; a rain map of the world, with 

 Loomis's data on a new projection; and a chart by Koppen of the 

 distribution of rain throughout the year. Besides all these, there 

 are several novel maps of a more physical nature; isotherms for 

 Europe in warm (1880) and cold (1879) Decembers, with corre- 

 sponding isobars in explanation of these weather-anomalies ; 

 Koppen's tracks of low-pressure areas over the North Atlantic 

 and adjacent lands; examples of ordinary cyclonic storms in Eu- 

 rope and their accompanying foehn, sirocco and bora winds, and 

 so on. These latter are especially welcome as aids in calling at- 

 tention to actual atmospheric phenomena as shown on synoptic 

 charts, in contrast with those more statistical matters in which 

 individual occurrences are lost sight of or concealed by averaging. 

 Tracks of thunder-storms, so well studied out in Europe, and the 

 distribution of tornadoes in cyclones, as discovered in this coun- 

 try, would be valuable additions to the series, but they were 

 doubtless considered and excluded in order not to increase the 

 size and cost of the atlas unduly. The same may be said of the 

 cold waves in the Mississippi valley and the fcehn-like chinook 

 winds on the northeastern plains, so fully illustrated in our 

 weather maps ; but even without these, the atlas is a decided ad- 

 vance on others of its kind, and is clearly the best series of 

 meteorological charts ever published. The data employed come 

 down to 1884, and, except concerning the winds and precipita- 

 tion, seem to be sufficient on charts of the size here used to hold 

 good for years to come over a large part of the world. The print- 

 ing and coloring are beautifully executed, and worthily represent 

 the high class of work done by the publisher, Perthes, of Gotha. 



W. M. D. 



2. New Meteorites. (Communicated) — The U. S. National Mu- 

 seum has recently received fragments of two new Japanese mete- 

 orites from the Educational Museum at Tokio. Both are grayish 

 stones, showing a dull black crust. The first of the two fell at 

 Fukutomi, Kinejima, Province of Hizen, March 19, 1882, at 1 p. m. 

 Its total weight was 7680 grams. The second fell at Maeme, 

 Hislugai'i, Province of Satsuma, Nov. 10, 1886, at 3 p. m. Its 

 original weight was 328 grams. 



These specimens and the information regarding them were 

 received from Prof. S. Tegima, Director of the Tokio Museum. 



F. W. CLARKE. 



" West Coast Shells: a familiar description of the Marine fresh-water and land 

 Mollusks of the United States found west of the Rocky Mountains. Adapted to 

 the use of schools, private students, tourists and all lovers of nature ; by Josiah 

 Keep, A.M., Prof. Nat. Sci. Mills College. 230 pp. 16mo, with numerous illus- 

 trations. San Francisco, 1887 (Bancroft Brothers & Co.) — A convenient little 

 work for the young student and collector of shells on the Pacific border. 



Annual Report of the Geological Survey of Arkansas for 1887, by John C. 

 Branner, Ph.D., State Geologist, Little Rock, Arkansas, 1887. 15 pp. 8vo. A brief 

 report of progress. 



