176 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



During the year there was an unusual proportion of easterly 

 winds, as the following records will show: — From the S.W., 

 110; W., 72; KE., 91; E., 36; N.W., 15; S., 12; and K, 3 

 days respectively. Thus, excluding the direct North and South, 

 the "Western group shows 192 and the Eastern group 153 times, 

 against 245 for the Western and 108 for the Eastern in 1896. 

 There are no appliances in the Parks for gauging the force of 

 the wind, but high gales were somewhat frequent, especially in 

 the latter part of the year. 



In reference to the atmospheric pressure, the records show 

 that the range has been more moderate than that of the preceding 

 year. The lowest reading of the year, 28-30, occurred on 5th 

 March, and the highest, 30*40 inches, on 30th December. Though 

 these extremes were approached on several occasions, they are 

 not so far apart nor are the variations so great as those of 1896, 

 when the highest reading was 30*78 inches and the lowest 28*20 

 inches ; and the pressure that year was seventy-three times above 

 30 inches and sixteen times below 29 inches, whereas in 1897 it 

 was only on sixty-four occasions above 30 and thirteen times 

 below 29 inches. 



In comparing the records many features of similarity are noted 

 in the weather of 1897 and 1896. Although January was colder, 

 there was an absence of very severe frosts, and the early months 

 were comparatively mild. Another somewhat sunless summer 

 was followed by a stormy autumn and a frequency of gales in the 

 closing months of the year. The points of dissimilarity were the 

 cold, hard weather in spring and the excessive rainfall. 



Vegetation, which had been in abnormal activity at the close of 

 1896, though checked by the frosts in January, was, with the mild, 

 open weather of February, about as far forward by the middle of 

 March as it was at the same period of the preceding year, but, 

 owing to the cold, hard winds which prevailed afterwards, growth 

 was much slower, and the development of leaves on the earlier trees 

 and shrubs severely checked. Generally the growth of nearly all 

 trees and shrubs was less vigorous than usual, and very much 

 inferior to that of 1896, when the growth was exceptionally fine 

 and all foliage remarkably luxuriant. Those species of trees 

 which are noted for a showy display of bloom fell short of what 

 was expected^ the hard winds not only preventing a proper 



