484 



Scientific Intelligence. 



2. Changes in the Transparency of the Earth? s Atmosphere. — 

 A circular letter has been issued, under the auspices of the U. S. 

 Weather Bureau, having as its object the accumulation of data 

 bearing upon the general diminution in the transparency of the 

 earth's atmosphere noted by various observers during 1902, but 

 which disappeared in 1903. Records are asked for "that will 

 assist in denning the dates of beginning and ending, and the 

 extent of this change in transparency. Such records may con- 

 sist of photometric or photographic observations of the brightness 

 of the stars ; changes in the solar or stellar spectra ; unusual 

 prevalence of halos, large Bishop's ring, or haze ; observations of 

 heat received from the sun, as made with actinometers or pyr- 

 heliometers ; observations of the polarization of the blue sky 

 light and of scintillation of the stars. Undoubtedly this diminu- 

 tion and increase of transparency began and ended at different 

 dates in different places, as the phenomena spread gradually over 

 the world during the years 1902 and 1903 ; additional records 

 are, therefore, desired in order to trace its progress." 



Facts bearing upon this subject may be forwarded to Professor 

 Cleveland Abbe at Washington, by whom the circular is signed. 



3. The Alpheus Hyatt Memorial Fund for Field Lessons. — 

 The report recently issued by the Trustees of the Hyatt Memorial 

 Fund at Boston gives an interesting summary of the field work 

 accomplished during the first year since the organization began. 

 Superintendent Seaver states that 26 teachers from 9 schools 

 have profited by the income of the fund and 2308 children have 

 been taken to the seashore and country. The value of such field 

 work as a part of the education of school children is obvious and 

 it is gratifying to note that the money available produces so 

 large a return. Contributions are asked for in order to increase 

 the endowment ; they may be sent to Mr. Stephen H. Williams, 

 24 Milk St., Boston. 



4. Altitudes in the Dominion of Canada ; by James White, 

 Geographer. Geol. Survey of Canada, Ottawa, 258 pp. — -Since 

 1894 Mr. White has been collecting and classifying data regard- 

 ing elevations in Canada. Altitudes are given along railroads, 

 rivers and in detail about the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence. 

 The present volume is the only publication containing this mass 

 of fact and thus becomes a necessary reference book. Four pro- 

 files and a relief map of North America accompany the volume. 



5. Publication of the Earthquake Investigation Committee in 

 Foreign Languages. No. 15. Pp. 72 with eight plates. Tokyo, 

 1 904. — This number is devoted to a discussion by F. Omori of 

 the application of seismographs to the measurement of the vibra- 

 tion of railway carriages. It gives a detailed account of a series 

 of practical experiments made upon the Government railways of 

 Japan under varying conditions. 



6. Clarkson Bulletin, Vol. I, JVo. 2, April, 1904. — This bulle- 

 tin contains the announcement of the Clarkson School of Tech- 

 nology at Potsdam, N. Y., established in 1896. The second 

 summer session begins July 6, 1904, and extends for six weeks. 



