From: Rosalind Cotter

Sent: March 26, 2004 12:11 PM

To: Stephen Mcintyre

Subject: Decision on Nature manuscript 2004-01-14277A

26th Mar 2004

Dear Mr McIntyre

Thank you for your revised manuscript entitled "Global-scale temperature patterns and climate forcings over the past six centuries: A comment" that is under consideration for our Brief Communications Arising section.

Before we can proceed further, I am afraid that it will be necessary for you to shorten your manuscript substantially, in accordance with our author guidelines on www.nature.com/nature/submit/gta/index.html#8. You will have seen that submissions to this section of the journal have a strict length limit (up to 800 words, with one multipanelled figure and no more than 15 references), although you are welcome to include supplementary material for reviewing purposes only.

We shall of course impose the same length limits on Mann et al. when we ask them to revise their reply in response to your revised manuscript and the referees' comments.

Please resubmit your revised manuscript in the correct format using the following link [link].

When you send in your revised manuscript, please attach a revised sheet if necessary detailing the changes you have made in response to the Nature authors' and referees' comments.

We hope to see your revised manuscript within two weeks; please let us know if the delay is likely to be longer.

Yours sincerely

Rosalind Cotter

Editor, Brief Communications