Horton's Law of Stream Numbers

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Abstract
The possibilities for obtaining a rational explanation of Horton's law of stream numbers are reviewed. The previous explanations of the stream‐number law by (1) a growth model referring to generations of rivers and by (2) statistical graph‐theory are compared. The graph‐theoretical explanation seems superior to the other model of Horton's law, inasmuch as it produces not only the form of the law, but even, numerically, the naturally observed bifurcation ratio. It is also independent of the structural properties of the river net.