Meteorological Observations, 151 



dysodil of Sicily, but which is distinguished by its containing a con- 

 siderable quantity of pine-tree pollen, and other vegetable remains. 



Since that time it has been found in two other places. The foli- 

 ated serviceable bituminous coal from Geistinger Busch near Rott 

 and Siegburg, to the north of the Siebengebirge, is, although as 

 black as old leather, quite similar to the dysodil, only it is richer in 

 vegetable remains. 



In a fourth similar foliated lignite from Vogelsberge, given me 

 to examine, as were the former, by Ober-Bergrath von Dechen, 

 there may be recognised very beautifully preserved infusorial shells. 

 This substance is also like the black dry sole of a shoe. From these 

 inquiries we see that the species of mineral called dysodil belongs 

 to the infusorial conglomerates, and is evidently a Polirschiefer or 

 Bldttertripel diCci^QntvWy penetrated by mineral pitch ; whilst at Bilin, 

 Cassel, etc., it appears without any mixture of bitumen. Its colour 

 maybe yellow or even brown and black. It nowhere forms exceed- 

 ingly large, but sometimes rather extensive and useful beds. — Pog- 

 gendorff's Annalen. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR FEB.j 1840. 



Chiswick. — Feb. 1. Cloudy : rain. 2. Very fine. S. Rain. 4. Boisterous 

 with rain. 5. Rain : clear. 6. Rain : cloudy. 7. Rain. 8. Heavy showers. 

 9. Fine. 10. Heavy showers: clear and very fine at night. 11. Fine. 12. 

 Rain. 13. Very fine. 14. Foggy. 15. Frosty : rain. 16. Hazy and mild. 

 17. Dense fog. 18. Dry cold haze. 19. Clear and cold. 20. Cloudy, with 

 some snow-flakes falling. 21. Bleak and cold. 22. Overcast. 23. Cold and 

 dry. 24. Fine but cold. 25. Frosty haze. 26. Cold haze. 27. Cloudy, cold 

 and dry. 28, 29. Fine but cold. 



Boston. — Feb. 1. Cloudy : rain p.m. 2. Fine : rain early a.m. 3. Stormy : 

 rain early A.M. 4. Stormy: rain early a.m. : rain p.m. 5. Cloudy: rain p.m. 

 6. Cloudy. 7. Cloudy : rain early A.M. : rain p.m. 8. Fine: rain and snow p.m. 

 9. Fine. 10. Rain. 11. Fine. 12— 15. Fine : rain p.m. 16, 17. Cloudy. 18. 

 Fine. 19. Cloudy: snow a.m. and p.m. 20. Cloudy : snow a.m. 21. Cloudy: 

 gnow melted. 22. Cloudy. 23 — 27. Fine. 28. Cloudy. 29. Fine. 



Applegarth Manse, Dumfries-shire. — Feb. 1. Frequent showers. 2. Frequent 

 showers : snow gone. 3. Frequent showers. 4, 5. Shower a.m. : fair rest of 

 the day. 6. Rain very early : fine day. 7. Heavy rain a.m.: stormy p.m. 8. 

 Occasional showers of rain and hail. 9, 10. Occasional showers of rain and hail 

 with high wind p.m. 1.1. Fine day : a few drops of rain. 12. Storm of wind 

 and rain P.M. 13. Fine day : no rain. 14. Fine day, but cloudy. 15. Wet 

 morning: cleared up p.m. 16. Calm, cloudy, and mild. 17, 18. Fine a.m.: 

 grew cloudy and sharp. 19. Cold easterly wind, but fair. 20. Cold easterly 

 wind with slight frost and snow showers. 21. Cold easterly wind: frost: 

 threatening snow. 22 — 24. Cold easterly wind: still frosty : sprinkling snow. 

 25. Cold easterly wind. 26. Beautiful sunny day, but still frosty. 27. Beau- 

 tiful sunny day : frost very keen. 28. Cloudy all day : but still freezing. 29. 

 Fine frosty day. 



Sun shone out 25 days. Rain fell 13 days. Snow 2 days. Frost 10 days. 



Wind north-easterly 6 days. Easterly 83 days. South-easterly 7 daya. 

 Southerly Sg days. South-westerly 8g days. West 1 day. 



Calm 14|^ days. Moderate 8 days. Brisk 1^ day. StTong breeze 2 days. 

 Boisterous 3 days. 



