Meteorological Observations. 319 



RECTIFICATION OF SPIRIT OF NITROUS ^THER. 



M. Klauer, pharraacien of Mulhouse, states it to be well known, 

 that when spirit of nitrous aether has become acid, it is usual to 

 rectify it from calcined magnesia, which, however, does not prevent 

 this preparation from becoming again acid in a few weeks. The 

 author observes that this is not the case when it is rectified from 

 neutral tartrate of potash instead of magnesia ; it may then be kept 

 for several months without exhibiting any sign of acidity. — Journ. 

 de Ph. et de Ch., Fevrier 1849. 



[The rationale of this operation is not evident. — Edit. Phil. Mag.] 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR FEB. 1849. 



Chismck. — February I. Frosty: foggy: rain. 2. Drizzly: hazy: rain. 3. Hazy 

 and damp : densely overcast. 4. Overcast. 5. Very fine : overcast. 6. Hazy : 

 densely overcast. 7. Overcast. 8. Very fine : clear. 9. Fine : overcast. 10. 

 Overcast : clear at night. 1 1. Clear : very fine : barometer unusually high : clear 

 and frosty at night. 12. Frosty and foggy : fine: clear and frosty. 13. Dense 

 fog : fine at noon: foggy. 14. Foggy : fine. 15. Very fine. 16. Foggy: clear 

 at night. 17. Frosty: exceedingly fine. 18. Overcast. 19. Overcast: fine. 

 20. Slightly overcast : cloudy : rain. 21. Cloudy and fine : rain. 22, 23. Fine. 

 24. Drizzly : rain : lightning in the evening : densely overcast. 25. Hazy : 

 boisterous, vfith rain and thunder : constant heavy rain at night. 26. Cloudy 

 and fine : frosty. 27. Frosty : cloudy and fine : clear. 28. Boisterous, with 

 heavy rain. — On the 11th the barometer was higher than it has ever been observed 

 in this locality. 



Mean temperature of the month 41°*35 



Mean temperature of Feb. 1848 43*06 



Mean temperature o^Feb. for the last twenty years 40 "36 



Average amount of rain in Feb 1*61 inch. 



Boston. — Feb. 1. Fine. 2, .3. Foggy. 4,5. Fine. 6,7. Cloudy. 8. Fine: 

 rain P.M. 9— 12. Fine. 13. Foggy. 14 — 17. Fine. 18. Cloudy. 19. Cloudy: 

 rain P.M. 20. Fine: rain p.m. 21. Cloudy. 22,23. Fine. 24,25. Cloudy. 

 26,27. Fine. 28. Rain : snow a.m. and p.m. 



Applegarth Manse, Dumfries-shire. — Feb. 1. Frost and snow; looking moist p.m. 

 2. Fog and drizzling all day. 3. Fog and drizzling. 4. Dull a.m. : drizzling 

 rain p.m. 5. Still dull, but fair : cloudy and moist p.m. 6. Mild : cloudy : high 

 wind p.m. 7. Rain during night : fair and clear. 8. Fair, but dull a.m. : rain p.m. 

 9. Fair early a.m. : rain at noon : rain p.m. 10. Fine morning : one shower: 

 clear P.M. 11. Frost: fog: cleared p.m. 12. Fair: slight shower: cleared. 

 13. Frost A.M.: clear: rain p.m. 14. Fine spring day : dry throughout. 15. 

 Fine : drying wind. 16. Frost : clear and fine : high wind p.m. 17. Fair and 

 clear : storm of wind. 18, 19. Rain and wind. 20. Dull and moist. 21. Frost: 

 rain and wind p.m. 22. Dull a.m. : came on storm, wind and rain. 23. Fair: 

 slight frost : snow on hills. 24. Frost and snow : clear : freezing. 25. Hard 

 frost: fine. 26. Very hard frost: hail-shower. 27. Hard frost. 28. Rain heavy : 

 wind high. 



Mean temperature of the month 41°*2 



Mean temperature of Feb. 1848 40 'I 



Mean temperature of Feb. for the last twenty-five years . 37 '3 



Rain in Feb. 1848 5-53inches. 



Average amount of rain in Feb. for the last twenty years 2-04 „ 

 Sandwich Manse, Orhiey. — Feb. 1. Clear: frost: cloudy. 2. Cloudy. 3. Bright: 

 drizzle. 4. Bright : clear : hoar-frost. 5. Drizzle : rain. 6. Clear : cloudy. 

 7. Drizzle: cloudy. 8. Bright: hail, thunder and lightning. 9. Cloudy: 

 damp. 10. Thunder and lightning : sleet-showers. 11. Bright: cloudy. 12. 

 Fine : clear : aurora. 13. Showers. 14. Rain. 15. Rain : drizzle. 16. Hazy : 

 showers. 17. Cloudy: showers. 18. Showers. 1 9. Showers : aurora. 20. Snow- 

 showers. 21. Frost : snow-showers. 22,23. Snow : frost : aurora. 24. Snow- 

 showers. 25. Snow-showers : clear : frost. 26. Snow-showers : clear : aurora, 

 27. Snow : fine : clear ; aurora. 28. Rain : sleet-showers. 



