December 26, [884.] 



SCIEN9E= 





573 



after sunset, — the progress of their region of oc- 

 currence across the country corresponding to the 

 passage of the broad cyclonic storm that gave them 

 birth. The signal-service report states that about 

 a thousand persons were killed, more than twice as 

 many wounded, and three or four million dollars' 

 worth 01 property destroyed, by thcz:: stc^rr.s on 

 this single day. This was the first and severest 

 visitation of the year. 



The distinguishing mark of the tornado is its 

 dark, pendent funnel-cloud at the centre of the most 

 violent winds. The rules published by the signal- 

 service for escaping from such a storm, when it is 

 seen approaching, are based on the regularity with 

 which tornadoes move to the north-east, or at least 

 to some point between east and north, along a tol- 

 erably straight course, at a rate of about thirty 



house should be provided with an underground 

 chamber or dug-out, easily reached, and guarded 

 by a strong grated door. This is the only retreat 

 on the storm-path in which safety can be found. 

 The effect of a tornado on the buildings of a 

 western town is seen in fig. 2, copied from a pho- 

 tograph taken by D. H. Cross at Grinnell, Io., 

 shortly after its destruction on June 17, 1S82. 



Fig. 2. 



miles an hour. If seen to the, north-west or south- 

 east, the tornado will, in all probability, pass to 

 one side of the observer. If seen in the south- 

 west, a few moments' watching will serve to dis- 

 cover whether the funnel-cloud is advancing so as 

 to pass north-west or south-east of the observer ; 

 then, without waiting too long, let him run to the 

 open side. If the funnel-cloud seems to come 

 directly toward the observer, he should run to the 

 north-west, because the winds on that side are a 

 little less violent than on the other, and the chance 

 of escape there is correspondingly better. In re- 

 gions where tornadoes occur frequently, every 



BLOOMING-TIMES FOR FLOWERS. 



"And 'tis my faith that every Jloiver 

 Enjoys the air it breathes." 



Wordsworth. 



The pressure brought to bear on every branch 

 of industry in this rapidly moving nineteenth cen- 

 tury has not failed to produce its effect on students 

 of natural history; and comparatively few 

 of the present active workers find time to 

 leisurely ramble, observe, and philosophize, 

 as, for example, Gilbert White did a century 

 ago. Yet there is scarcely a lover of nature, 

 however closely confined to his study or 

 laboratory, who does not listen for the first 

 twitter of the bluebird, or delight in the 

 first bunch of violets brought by the spring, 

 and find himself cheered by the chirp of the 

 last robins, and the flowers of the witch- 

 hazel, on the threshold of winter. For such 

 and all lovers of nature, this effort to indi- 

 cate the usual time at which a few typical 

 plants of the different seasons may fairly be 

 said to be coming into full bloom is made 

 as a reminder of seasons that are gone, and 

 a prompter for those to come. 



Like the birds, flowers vary much in their 

 habits. Some stay with us through the en- 

 tire open season, and push their heads up 

 at the very edge of the snow or in the heat 

 of midsummer ; some come at their ap- 

 pointed time, last but a few days or weeks, and 

 disappear completely, be the season what it may : 

 and others, usually regular in their blooming, feel 

 the stimulus of a long, warm autumn, like the last, 

 and anticipate the following spring by unfolding 

 more or less profusely. 



Every region has its own climatic peculiarities 

 and its proper spring and autumn ; and, though the 

 limits of these may vary somewhat from year to 

 year, there is usually some close observer of na- 

 ture to be found, who prides himself on knowing 

 a sheltered place where he is certain to find the 

 trailing-arbutus or pasque-flower at about the same 



