reviews of all previous important investigations on the various topics of meteoric astronomy from the earliest times to the present, with full references to the literature, accompanied by clear and forceful statements of the author's own views on controversial questions. The wide knowledge and long experience of the author, together with his demonstrated willingness to revise his conclusions when further evidence warrants, demand respectful attention to his criticisms of the work of others and to his own conclusions when these differ from those of other authorities.

The book is quite comprehensive, and up to date. Directions are given for making accurate observations of meteors, for reducing these observations, and computing orbits and real heights; illustrative workedout examples are given. An unusually thorough treatment of radiants is included; and we find chapters on each of the important recognized meteor showers, on comets, on the formation of meteor streams and their perturbations, on the distribution of meteors in time and space, on the origins and mutual relations of shooting stars, fireballs, and meteorites, et al. The results of many quite recent investigations, which have not yet found their way into the average textbook, are included; and inevitably some matters are included which investigations made since the book was published have tended to modify. Mathematics is used where necessary, but so far as possible the mathematical sections have been so segregated that they may be omitted without destroying the continuity of the book.

The two chapters treating, respectively, of the apparent paths of meteors in the atmosphere, and of meteor trains, will be of most direct interest to the meteorologist. Here the recent theories of Lindemann and Dobson, and of Vegard, find mention; neither of these was ever very acceptable to meteorologists, and the latter seems to have been disposed of by the work of McLennan and Shrum, although Vegard refuses to yield.

That the book bears the imprint of the Williams and Wilkins Company of Baltimore is not only an additional indication of merit, but a guarantee of excellence in the bookmakers' art: Printing, binding, and illustrations are well done. The reviewer has one criticism, however: The style of typography employed in much of the mathematical matter results in an appearance displeasing to the aesthetic sense of the mathematician.-Edgar W. Woolard.

The Report of the Chief of the Weather Bureau for 1923-1924 (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1925), in four parts, contains a complete summary with maps and tables of meteorological and climatological conditions in the United States for the year under consideration. Part I, the administrative report, deals especially with forecast service and investigations which are being carried on in various fields. Of particular interest are the historical survey of the distribution of forecasts and weather information, which mentions the 120 broadcasting stations now supplying rural communities with forecasts,

and the summary of the aid given by trained meteorologists in forecasting dangerous fire weather in the Pacific coast states during the firedanger season of 1924. Some of the other important subjects here discussed are rivers and floods, agricultural and marine meteorology, aerological and solar radiation investigations, and climatological work. Part II contains a general summary of the weather conditions in the United States, by months, during the year 1923, with seven maps and copious tables, one of which shows the annual summary for Canadian stations. Special mention is made of tornadoes, hail, windstorms, sunshine, and excessive precipitation occurring during the period.

Parts III and IV are concerned with climatology, and give in tabular form monthly and annual summaries of meteorological data for 212 stations, with a summary of snowfall for selected stations for the year 1923.

"Weather Forecasting, with introductory note on atmospherics," by George S. Bliss, has just appeared in its fourth edition (U. S. Weather Bureau Bulletin, No. 42. Gov't. Printing Office, 1925, 28 pp., 4 maps, 5 cents). This booklet is a valuable guide for the beginner. One taking up meteorology will find that this pamphlet will give him a broad view of meteorology and present day practices in forecasting.

The Bulletin of the Terrestrial Electric Observatory of Fernando Sanford, at Palo Alto, California, Vol. 2, has just been received. While the information is of value more to specialists in terrestrial magnetism than to meteorologists, there are, nevertheless, some interesting discussions and graphs concerning the present state of our knowledge on atmospheric potential gradient and air-earth currents. The moon's influence upon magnetic and electric phenomena upon the earth is also discussed.

MINUTES OF THE PACIFIC MEETING

At Reed College, Portland, Oregon, June 18, 1925 The meeting was opened at 9.18 A. M. by Dr. A. E. Douglass, VicePresident.

Mr. N. R. Taylor, Meteorologist, U. S. Weather Bureau, Sacramento, California, presented a paper on "Some of the water problems of the great central valley of California, and the value of Weather Bureau records in their solution."

This paper refers to some of the interesting geographic and physical features of the Great Central Valley of California, known as the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys, its rivers and floods, and its mountain water-supply. It deals principally with the flood-control and reclamation projects, which have been put into operation in the section in question, and tells of the indispensability of Weather Bureau records of precipitation in the solution of all problems related to water.

Mr. Edward L. Wells, Meteorologist, U. S. Weather Bureau, Portland, Oregon, presented a paper on "Floods in the Willamette River.” (Abstract to be published in Mo. Weather Rev.)

Mr. E. M. Keyser asked about the effect of winds on stages in the

Columbia River. Mr. Wells said: "The rate of movement of tide waves up the Columbia River is known to be materially affected by wind when the river is low, and it is assumed that this effect is just as pronounced at times of flood, but this has not been shown definitely."

Mr. Floyd D. Young said: “Discharge records of main tributaries are not always important in flood forecasting of the stage of the Willamette at Portland, for example, the flood of 1916 (?) was caused by heavy snowfall in the lower valley, followed by heavy rains. The river did not reach flood stage in its upper reaches. The water poured into the lakelike basin of the lower river, causing a rapid rise to the flood stage. Mr. E. M. Keyser, Meteorologist, U. S. Weather Bureau, Spokane, Washington, presented a paper on "Meteorology for the Boy Scout."

Up to the present time the subject of Meteorology has not been in the list of Merit Badge subjects in the Boy Scout program. Since many a scout carries on his sleeve insignia showing his interest and proficiency in archery or photography, or other subjects of rather limited appeal, it appears wrong that the Meteorology or "The Weather," a subject of universal interest, should not be reduced to the level of his comprehension. This paper is prepared with a view of eventually placing "Meteorology" along with some 70 others in the Scout educational scheme.

Mr. Wells spoke of the keen interest taken in meteorology by Bernard Berenson, a high school boy, who had fitted up a meteorological equipment of his own and was keeping a detailed weather record. Prof. E. J. Saunders said that he deprecated the substitution of the study of general science in the high schools in place of more detailed and intensive studies of meteorology comprehended in physical geography.

Mr. L. E. Blochman, of Berkeley, California, had prepared a paper on “An analysis of the seasons of 1923-24 and of 1924-25 in California,” but was not present to read it. A summary of this paper was read by Mr. Wells:

I. Long Range Forecasting, according to my observation, must be based on the careful analysis of all past seasons. The recent mapping of the ocean through radio reports is going to aid materially both Short and Long Range forecasting.

II. This ocean mapping has revealed to us in the last three years the fuller movements of the ocean Lows and Highs, which we did not know previously. The semi-permanent High of the California to Honolulu part of the Pacific showed a continuation with the interior or Plateau High, but sometimes it was entirely disassociated from it.

III. The season of 1923-24 was decidedly dry, caused by the persistent and intense high pressure over the ocean, and to the northerly centering of the Low, too far to the North to impinge upon and move the Pacific High. Only in March and once in April was there a sufficient gap between the ocean High and the interior High to allow the Low to move southerly in this Plateau gap to give Central and Southern California appreciable precipitations.

IV. The season of 1924-25 was characterized by a full average rainy season north of Point Conception and the Tehachapi, while it was par

tially dry south of these lines. This was due to the persistence of the Coast to Honolulu Pacific High, but the center of the Low moved much further south than in the previous season and that afforded the copious rains from Central California northwards, but its effects ceased around Point Conception.

V. The interior or Plateau High was not relatively as marked and persistent as in drier seasons, in fact, it alternated to occasional low pressures. In the spring months of March, April and May there was a pronounced barometrical gap between the Pacific High and the High east of the Rockies. This lower pressure induced some of the numerous Aleutian Lows to move into this Plateau gap and give splendid spring rains to Central and Southern California during this period.

VI. The existence and the intensity of the Alaskan High has a great deal of influence on our California rainfall. When it is below normal the Low pressure is not forced far enough South to give California, and especially Southern California, its normal rainfall.

Lieut. B. H. Wyatt, U. S. Navy, San Diego, California, had prepared a paper on "Temperatures and humidities of the upper air at San Diego, California," and had started for Portland by airplane, but was forced down by motor trouble and was unable to be present. (This paper will probably appear in the Mo. Weather Rev.)

Prof. Edwin T. Hodge, University of Oregon, gave a short address, unwritten, on "The climate of western Oregon during the Pleistocene period." (Abstr. to be published in Mo. Weather Rev.)

Dr. Hodge's main thesis was that "The glaciers which occupied the crest of the Cascade Range were not due to low temperature, to change in direction of wind, not to increased moisture content of the winds which then blew. These glaciers were due to mountains which then stood one thousand feet or more higher than they do today and as a result they robbed from the moist, warm westerly winds their moisture and their warmth.' (Science Service).

Discussion.-Prof. E. J. Saunders said that the presence of Lake Russell at the time of recession of the Vashon Ice and the large floods of water from the receding Admiralty Ice could not occur with low temperatures. Furthermore, the type of vegetation represented by the peat in the Admiralty sediments indicate temperate climate. Marine shells and beaches in Vashon drift at elevations up to 290 feet indicate a lower stand of Puget Sound country at recession of the Vashon glacier. Dr. C. E. Grunsky expressed satisfaction to find that evidence was accumulating to show that the climate of Pleistocene times was warm and not cold, and to find that the orographic changes noted would account for some of the vicissitudes of that climate.

Mr. Burrwash confirmed what Prof. Saunders had said and stated that raised deltas and beaches existed up to 670 feet above present sea level. This recent uplift, however, has not brought the land to so high a stage as that when the present drowned valleys were cut. Glacial overdeepening during the Vashon is recognized as a possible contributor to the present depth of these valleys.

In the absence of Mr. John E. Church, Jr., Reno, Nevada, an abstract of his paper on “Wide Area Forecasting of Stream Flow on the Columbia and Colorado," was read by Mr. Wells. (This paper will be published in the Mo. Weather Review).

(Author's abstract)

The Columbia River drains an area of about 237,000 square miles, with an average annual flow of 151,700,000 acre-feet. The Colorado drains an area of 225,000 square miles, with an average annual flow of 17,500,000 acre-feet.

Despite the immense area of the watersheds satisfactory snow surveys and forecasts can be established for each at no greater difficulty and expense than for the joint streams of the central Sierra Nevada.

These streams are fed in large part by three main tributaries. The flow in the main streams varies less than 11 per cent from the combined flow of the feeders, and the extreme variation between one feeder and the main stream has not exceeded 25 per cent. The greater part of the flow, from 61 per cent to 64 per cent of the total, occurs during the four months, April-July.

Prof. Hodges wanted to know what effect irrigation, discussed somewhat in the paper, had on the mean annual temperature, to which Mr. Wells replied that irrigable areas are believed to be too limited in area to produce any material reduction in the temperature through the process of evaporation. However, he said, existing records in irrigation districts are of too short duration to confirm or contradict this statement.

Mr. Wells then took the Chair and called on the presiding officer, Dr. Douglass, to present his paper on "Notes on Certain Biologic Cycles apparently related to Solar Activity.”

(Author's abstract)

Nature records its climates in many different ways. Trees in northern Arizona give a rainfall record for many centuries by their annual rings. In more moist regions, many other factors enter and the best climatic data can be found in statistics of the number of trees starting growth each year. Similar statistics regarding animals are well worth collecting, as they tell us something of past climates. De Lury, in Canada, has observed the flight of birds, and Elton, of Oxford, England, finds the lemmings and other animals of high latitudes to show increased numbers in periods of three and one-half years. The common fox, hare, mouse, owl, some mammals, birds, and insects, recur in the solar period of about 11 years.

Similar work by Pettersson deals with fish in the North Sea. Grape culture in France and records of the Nile overflow in Egypt give important historic climatic records.

Geology supplies climatic records in the clay layers of Sweden and New England and even in Oregon; in laminated structures shown in diamond drill cores in Texas; and in layers of stalagmites in Missouri. This paper closed the morning session, and the meeting adjourned at 11.35 A. M. until the afternoon session.

The afternoon session was opened by Mr. Floyd D. Young, Meteor