Vowinckel, E.

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REVIEWS 57 icity. The quoted  examples of physiological rhythms  related  to  latitudinal  and  longitu- dinal variations in solar  time show  how far the few experiments are from determining the  external  signals  and  the  internal clocks by which  animals  time  daily  and  longer physiological  rhythms. There is an interesting chapter  on  mam- mals in cold and  their  utilization of insula- tion, if large  enough,  for free movement, or if too  small  their  evasion of exposure. The encounter  with  heat  involves  more  complex measurements, and the scale of naturally tolerable  high  temperatures is of compara- tively short  length for most  animals.  Adap- tation  to  high  temperatures is accomplished by extremely  interesting  behaviour and physiology which  have  prompted new studies revealing the ingenuity of nature and the perceptive  imagination of experimental scientists. The multiplying conferences, bureaus, . studies, and courses using  the term ‘environ- mental’ science illustrate  that  the  subject is what  one  wants  to  make of it.  Environment may refer to  a  portion of the  earth, to the surroundings of an  urban or other  popula- tion and  their influence upon health, agri- culture, or industry.  Folk  has  selected  meas- urable conditions representative of several contrasting  geographical  regions and he  has presented views of physiological reactions that result and  appear to adapt  individual men and other mammals to living where they  are.  Any  one of us would be likely to select some  other views and might  differently relate the results with biology and human affairs. By looking at  the  situation  through his own profession as  a physiologist Folk  has provided  interesting  examples of the physio- logy of mammals  in  relation  to  conditions  in different regions of their natural environ- ments. Readers will probably not criticize his special attention to the somewhat sim- plified  view of arctic life that is provided by its extreme  conditions. Laurence Irving STANDARD  DEVIATIONS OF MONTH- LY AND ANNUAL MEAN TEMPERA- TURES. By G. R. KENDALL  and S. R. ANDERSON. Climatological  Studies  Number 4. Toronto: Canada Department o f  Transport, A4t- teorological Branch, r966. 17 pages o f  text and tables + r6jgs. This  study follows the  pattern of the  other numbers  in  the series of Climatological Stud- ies in  summarizing  the  bulky  climatological observations in a convenient form for the general  user  as well as for the scientist who has  no access to  the  basic  information. Accordingly, the publication consists of 6 pages of tables of the monthly standard  de- viations  which are well laid out  and  are asy to read. The only shortcoming is perhaps that too much geographical knowledge is assumed of the general reader, since only station  names  but no  coordinates are given. The  data  in  the tables are  further  repre- sented  in 16 pages of monthly  maps of the standard  deviation  and  graphs of the  annual trend for selected stations. All maps and graphs  are  clear and well represented. In  the text ( I  I pages) the  authors discuss nrst the  method of calculation of standard deviations, the statistical assumptions in  the concept of this parameter, and the errors. Although the  text is short,  it is easily under- standable even  to  readers  with  no statistical background.  This  part is concluded  with the welcome remarks about other information which  can be obtained  from  the  standard  de- viation, i.e. the calculation of degree  days,  a concept of importance to practical appli- cations of climatology. The discussion of the results covers only I I pages and gives mainly  the  factual  descrip- tion of the  monthly  maps  and  annual trends, pointing  out  the facts already  apparent from the graphical representations, namely that the variability of mean monthly tempera- tures is higher  in  winter  than  summer,  and in winter higher in the mountains of the West and in Labrador than in the rest of Canada. The explanations for the shown phenomena, if given at  all, are cursory and not very satisfying. I t  seems, however, quite clear from the layout of the booklet that its aim is not  the scientific analysis of an important climatic parameter, but rather the presentation of basic information. Viewed in this way the mentioned minor shortcomings are unim- portant  and  the publication  can  be  regarded as a  valuable  contribution  to  our  knowledge of the climate of Canada. E, Vowinckel 

Standard Deviations of Monthly and Annual Mean Temperatures, by G.R. Kendall and S.R. Anderson

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Standard Deviations of Monthly and Annual Mean Temperatures, by G.R. Kendall and S.R. Anderson

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