Professor Hildebrandsson, of Upsala, and the Hon. Ralph Abercromby
jointly submitted a revised scheme, the main feature of which was the
introduction of a new class of clouds, to be distinguished by the
prefix alto-before the other name. Such alto clouds were less lofty and
denser than cirrus. This scheme was the best before the Conference, and
without waiting to discuss, and possibly improve it, it was formally
adopted, and a committee appointed to arrange and publish an atlas
showing pictures of the type-forms. This atlas did not appear until
1896, and in the mean time the Rev. W. Clement Ley had published
proposals of his own, some of which had much to recommend them. But
he was too late. The International Committee had come to a decision,
and, although it may be far from ideal, the system backed by such an
authority must be regarded as the standard until some similar gathering
has given worldwide sanction to a change, and even then it would be
better to modify by addition rather than by substitution.
The subjects of the following pages are named in general accordance
with this International Code, but they are by no means restricted to
types. Their object is not to attempt any repetition of the work which
has already been well done by the Atlas Committee, but rather to show
the chief varieties within a type. It will, however, become abundantly
evident that the standard system is far from complete, and that any
minute and detailed study of cloud-form must take note of the precise
variety.
This at once raises the question whether many of these varieties
are not sufficiently distinct to be given definite names. If a
meteorologist is told that cirrus clouds were seen on a particular
occasion, he instinctively asks--What sort of cirrus? and is utterly
unable to form any mental picture of the clouds until the question
has been answered by a detailed description. A glance at a few of the
plates further on will show the difficulty plainly, and it occurs with
other forms of cloud as well as cirrus.
Is it not time that the International names were regarded as those of
the cloud genera, and to add specific names for those varieties which
seem to imply some difference in kind in the conditions which have led
to their formation? This has been here attempted by translating into
Latin the ordinary English term by which the variety would naturally
be described. More extended observation will probably show that other
species should be introduced, and possibly some of those suggested
in these pages may have to be subdivided. Whatever the names may be,
specific distinction of some sort is an essential preliminary to
detailed study of the why and wherefore of the particular forms.
The International system is as follows:--
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