164 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



recorded. The average maximum temperature for the month 

 was 38°, while the minimum was 29°, against 43° and 34° 

 respectively for the corresponding month of the preceding year. 



Any plants which showed signs of growth, owing to the mild, 

 open weather of the closing months of 1896, were checked by the 

 cold, frosty weather of January ; and the soft, watery growths of 

 laurels and similar shrubs were severely blackened. 



February. — With the winds chiefly from the N.E., the first 

 eight days were cold and cheerless, owing to the absence of 

 sunshine. A sharp S.W. gale, accompanied by heavy rain, 

 occurred on the 9th, and the weather was changeable and cold, 

 with frequent dense fogs, until the 16th, after which it was 

 milder and showery. A severe gale, with heavy rain, occurred on 

 the 25th, and the rivers were in high flood on the 26th — the 

 Kelvin overflowing its banks in the Kelvingrove Park. The 

 rainfall amounted to 2-85 inches, of which 1"55 fell on the 25th and 

 26th. There were fourteen dry days in the month. The readings 

 of the barometer show that the pressure, which was 29*15 on the 

 1st, kept steadily, though erratically, above that point the whole 

 month. The highest reading was 30*20 on the 16th, and the 

 sharpest drop was from 30 '00 on the 24th to 29 '35 on the 25th, 

 when the gale was experienced. Though no very severe frosts 

 were registered, the average temperatures were somewhat lower 

 than in the corresponding month of 1896, which were abnormally 

 high — then they were 47° on the maximum and 36" on the 

 minimum, against 44° and 35° respectively for this year. Frosts 

 occurred only on ten mornings, to the amount of 33° — again an 

 unusual occurrence for February. With the absence of severe 

 frost, and the open weather of the latter half of the month) 

 vegetation quickly advanced. Snowdrops and Crocuses were in 

 full bloom by the middle of the month, and by the 24th 

 Rhododendron Nobleanum was in full flower, and other early 

 flowering plants equally forward. 



March. — The opening days of the month were cold and cheer- 

 less, with frequent heavy showers of hail and sleet. Although 

 several dry days were experienced, the weather generally was 

 disagreeable, on account of the prevalence of easterly winds; and 



