Charles-Pierre Péguy, Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Rennes, is the author of this book which forms part of the series “Que sais je?” It consists of an agreeable discussion covering a most interesting subject and showing the importance of snow to men and mankind.

The first chapter, the meteorology of snow, explains when snow is to be expected. It gives as the known maximum of the total depth ever measured—the world record—27.45 m. during the winter of 1906–7 at Tamarack, California, at an altitude of 2438 m. The author adds that there are surely places where this depth of snow should be much larger. He defines the several basic measurements of snow precipitation. Subsequent chapters deal with the nivometric regimes, annual snowfalls throughout the world, the metamorphosis of snow on the ground (crystallography) and the mechanical and physical properties of the snow cover (avalanches), the extent and duration of the snow cover in various parts of the world, everlasting snow, and finally the climatology of snow and its influence on Man.

This small book is not only interesting, it covers the subject with competence and is a valuable handbook as an introduction to any study in connexion with snow.