Abstract
THIS valuable little work forms Nos. 372–373 of Hoepli's well-known scientific series of manuals. As the title implies, it is entirely with the phenomena of lakes, and is intended to be preliminary to a somewhat similar work on the much larger subject of oceanography. Limnology owes its name to Prof. F. A. Forel; whose standard monograph on the Lake of Genava is recognised as a model in this branch of inquiry. The present volume deals more particularly with the geographical and physical sides of the question, touching but very lightly on the more difficult subject of biology; it summarises the methods of observation which experience has shown to be the best, including descriptions of the instruments used, the improvements recently introduced in them, and the principal results hitherto obtained. The occurrences of seiches are attributed partly to the sudden cessation of wind which had been previously blowing over the lake, and partly to small differences of pressure at various points of the lake (acting on the water as on the mercury of a barometer); it is, however, pointed out that although it may be possible to indicate some of the causes that produce seiches, it is very rare that the particular, cause of any individual seiche can be precisely determined. An appendix contains a list of the positions and areas of the principal Italian lakes. The author admits his especial indebtedness to Profs. Forel and De1ebecque to whose works, and to those of Prof. Chrystal and others, frequent references are made in the compilation of this useful manual.
Limnologia: Studio Scientifico dei Laghi.
By Dr. G. P. Magrini. Pp. xv + 242; illustrated. (Milan: U. Hoepli, 1907.) Price 3 lire.
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Limnologia: Studio Scientifico dei Laghi . Nature 76, 636 (1907). https://doi.org/10.1038/076636c0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/076636c0