326 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



Rhododendron Eugenie, which was in full bloom by the 20th, 

 making a pleasing display amid the shrubbery, while the bulbous 

 plants in the plots in the parks and squares bloomed brilliantly, 

 notably hyacinths and Narcissi. The earlier tulips, on the other 

 hand, were not so good, owing to the hard drying winds of the 

 preceding month having injured the expanding buds. 



May. — The bright pleasant weather of the close of April did 

 not hold through this month. The weather was backward, with 

 hard cold north and north-east winds, and a tendency to frost at 

 nights. Until the 12th the weather was dull and changeable, with 

 frost and showers of hail on the 15th, after which hard dry 

 weather was experienced till the close of the month. Erost was 

 registered on four days, and amounted to 6°. The highest 

 thermometer reading was 65°, and the lowest 30°. The average 

 maximum temperature was 58°, and the minimum 40°, almost 

 identical with that of May, 1897. The range of the barometer 

 readings was wide, and varied from 30*10 on the 7th to 28*70 on 

 the 11th, rising rapidly and steadily to 30*10 on the 19th. Until 

 the end of the month it had a steadier but lower range. Rain 

 fell on nine days to the amount of 2*04 inches, which is slightly 

 under the amount recorded for the same month in 1897. 



Vegetation, which was in a forward state in April, lost 

 considerably, and was somewhat damaged by the cold winds 

 and low temperature of this month. The tender leaves of the 

 trees, particularly the Horse Chestnut, suffered severely by the 

 sharp frosts and showers of hail which occurred between the 12th 

 and 18th, and the fruit crops were likewise severely damaged. 

 Several species of trees and shrubs bloomed remarkably well 

 through this month, notably Cherries. Pyruses, and Lilacs ; and 

 the late-flowering tulips were very fine, compensating for the weak 

 display made by the earlier varieties. The Oak leafed on the 6th, 

 and the Ash on the 18th, the former 13 days and the latter 6 

 days earlier than in 1897. 



June. — For the first fortnight there was a continuation of the 

 cold unseasonable weather which characterised May, with easterly 

 winds, and not until the 18th, when the wind changed to the 

 south-west, did the weather become seasonably warm. With a 

 low barometer (29*20) on the 1st, cold showers of rain fell, after 

 which the barometer rose cfraduallv, and the weather became 



