328 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



While favourable for the growth of grass and the filling up of 

 cereals, the unsettled weather of this month was against the 

 ripening and harvesting of the grain. Harvesting operations were 

 accordingly later than usual, and were not begun in the Glasgow 

 district until the middle of the month. 



Septemher. — The opening days were dull and wet, but, begin- 

 ning on the 4th, fine warm weather prevailed for a week. On the 

 7th the thermometer in the shade rose to 78°, the highest recorded 

 during the year. Thereafter until the 20th, though several days 

 were fine and bright, the weather was somewhat changeable. 

 The closing days were rainy and disagreeable. "With the absence 

 of frosts, the temperature was higher than in the previous Septem- 

 ber. The average day temperature was 63", and the average night 

 48°, against 58° and 44° in 1897. There were 15 dry days, and rain 

 fell to the depth of 3-99 inches, the amount being slightly less 

 than in the same month of the preceding year. Owing to the 

 amount of rainfall and the comparatively high temperature, many 

 shrubs continued to make growth of a character unfitted to with- 

 stand satisfactorily the frosts of winter. The changeable atmos- 

 pheric conditions and the frequency of fogs in the mornings 

 caused serious trouble to farmers in securing grain crops. On 

 exposed lands, by taking advantage of the fine spells in the 

 weather, the crops were harvested in good condition. In 

 low-lying and sheltered places unfavourable conditions were 

 experienced. 



October. — The first half of the month was dry and mild. On 

 the 17th gales with heavy rains were experienced, causing the 

 Kelvin to overflow its banks, and submerging the lower walks in 

 Kelvingrove Park. From the 18th till the close of the month the 

 weather was dull and showery, with occasional gales. The 

 barometer was over 30 inches during the first week, and 

 steadily fell to 29 on the 16th; thereafter it was very irregular, 

 fallincr to 28-80 at the end of the month. The total rainfall was 

 3-97 inches, and there were 20 dry days. The average maximum 

 and minimum temperatures were 54° and 46°, the former 1° and the 

 latter 7° higher than in October, 1897. The high minimum is 

 accounted for by the absence of frost. In fact, on only two 

 occasions was the minimum thermometer below 40°, an unusual 

 occurrence for October. 



