Chemistry and Physics. 103 



Such a table has never 

 before appeared in the literature of the subject. The remarks 

 prefatory to each of these special tables are very pertinent and 

 illuminating. 



Since this volume completes Kayser's magnificent contribution 

 to the subject of spectroscopy, it may not be out of place to 

 briefly reflect a portion of the last preface. When, in the year 

 1900, the author wrote the preface to the first volume he hoped 

 to be able to incorporate all the important facts of physical spec- 

 troscopy in four volumes and to devote a fifth volume to astro- 

 physics. The hypergeometric increase, so to speak, in the literature 

 of the subject necessitated the expansion of the four projected 

 volumes into six. Doubtless this great increase was largely due 

 to the influence of Kayser's contributions. As regards the vol- 

 ume on astrophysical data and phenomena Kayser expresses 

 himself as follows : "When I contemplate the astrophysical liter- 

 ature at my disposal it becomes at once apparent that the pro- 

 posed single volume will not suffice even approximately ; three 

 volumes would be required, and I should need at least eight years 

 in which to complete the work. I do not doubt for a single 

 instant that I have grown too old to undertake such a task : the 

 labor of my university office has increased, spare time has 

 decreased, also my powers of endurance, and particularly my 

 memory, are no longer as reliable as formerly, and without the 

 latter a work of this kind cannot be written. Therefore, with 

 deep regret, I have decided to bequeath to younger hands the 

 presentation of the astrophysical applications, which interest me 

 so very much, and I hope that a competent man will soon take 

 up the task." Nevertheless, it is a source of great pleasure to 

 read farther on that Kayser hopes to be able to revise the earlier 

 volumes of his " Handbuch," and to continue his experimental 

 investigations in the subject. h. s. u. 



11. Relations entre les Circulations Atmosph'eriques, V Electri- 

 cite Atmosph'erique et le Magnetisme Terrestre; by Alfred 

 Vialay. Pp. x, 203, with 4 figures and 3 plates. Paris, 1911 

 (H. Dunod et E. Pinat). — The primary object of this monograph 

 is to account for the existence of two points in the northern 

 hemisphere and three in the southern which are characterized by 

 being poles of low temperature, of maximum barometric pressure, 

 of the great atmospheric circulations, of the aurorae, and of the 

 earth's magnetic field. The first " book " is devoted to the ques- 

 tion of the circulation of the atmosphere. The associated chap- 

 ters deal with summer and winter in the northern and southern 

 hemispheres and with the various types of wind-storms. As a 

 practical application of the generalizations reached in the first 

 book, the author accounts for the severe winter of 1879-1880, and 

 for the mild, damp winter of 1909-1910, as experienced in France. 

 In the second book the phenomena associated with atmospheric 

 electricity are discussed at some length. Globular lightning, 

 the aurorae, and other interesting manifestations are given due 



