COUNCIL FOR 1854. 13 



in the last year have not been numerous. Among the dona- 

 tions may be mentioned the First Part of Miscellanea Graphica, 

 a description, accompanied by beautiful illustrations, of works 

 of media3val art, in the possession of Lord Londesborough. 

 The Library continues to receive the successive numbers of 

 various publications of high scientific interest for which the 

 Society has subscribed. Among them are two splendid works 

 by Mr. Gould, The Birds of Asia, and the Trochilidse or Hum- 

 ming Birds. 



Among the donations to the Library from public bodies, the 

 Council notice with peculiar satisfaction that of the Volumes of 

 the Archeeologia from the Society of Antiquaries, beginning 

 with the year 1853. Various other Literary and Scientific 

 Societies have presented their respective Transactions and 

 Reports of Proceedings. The approaching publication of a 

 Second Part of the Papers read before the Yorkshire Philoso- 

 phical Society will afford an opportunity of acknowledging these 

 gifts by a return, which the Council trust will not be found of 

 inferior value.* 



The Meteorological Register for York presents for the year 

 1854, considerable departures from ordinary circumstances in 

 the range of the mercurial column, in that of temperature and 

 in the amount of rain. On the 4th of March, at ix a. m., with a 

 north wind, external temperature 39°, temperature of the 

 mercury 63°, the column measured 30*932 inches, a height 

 unprecedented in 25 years' experience. On January 8th, the 

 column measured only 28'824 inches ; this is the lowest obtained 

 in the year, making the range 2'108 inches. The range of 

 temperature has also been extraordinary, from — 3 on January 

 3rd to 79° July 22nd, making a range of 82 degrees. The rain 

 amounted only to 18*52 inches, being 5*75 below a mean of 20 

 years. 



The mean temperature of the year has varied very slightly 

 from the mean of 20 years, being '72 of a degree below that 



* Members not residing in York, may have their copies of the Second Part of 

 the Proceedings transmitted by post, by application to Mr. Charleswortb, at the 

 Mosoum, with an enclosure of six postage stamps. 



