METEOROLOGICAL NOTES FOR 1885. 309 



thermometer registered 83°. During 1884 the highest 

 temperature was upon the 8th of August, when the 

 thermometer stood at 87\ 



The lowest night temperature in 1885 was upon 

 the 16th November and 7th December, when the 

 thermometer was at 15°, registering 17° of frost; 

 while in 1884 the lowest reading was upon the 23rd 

 December, when the thermometer fell to 19°, or 13° 

 of frost. 



On 62 mornings during 1885 the thermometer was 

 at or below the freezing point, registering a total 

 of 361° of frost, as compared with 195° of frost on 

 58 mornings during 1884. The average temperature 

 for 1885 was 46°, as compared with 47° in 1884. 



Rain fell more or less on 165 days in 1885, giving 

 a total of 28'70 inches, as compared with 173 days 

 during 1884, and a total rainfall of 40*54 inches, thus 

 showing in favour of 1885 by 8 dry days, and 11*84 

 inches less of rain. 



It will be observed from the foregoing notes and 

 comparison that the year 1885 has been rather a 

 remarkable one. The rainfall has been the lowest 

 for the last 10 years, with the exception of 1878, 

 which registered 26*18 inches, or 2*52 inches less. A 

 peculiar feature of the rainfall in 1885 is, that 

 although it was 11*84 inches less than its pre- 

 decessor, rain fell on nearly the same number of 

 days. Unfortunately it was sent very si3aringly 

 during the summer months, and crops of all kinds 

 suffered more or less in the months of June and 

 July. In the public Parks it was only by copious 

 and frequent watering that many trees, shrubs, 

 and flowers survived ; and in most cases the horse- 

 chesnuts dropped their leaves. The weather, how- 

 ever, during August was more genial; and towards 

 the end of the month the show of flowers in the 

 Parks and Squares was fairly good. The two follow- 

 ing months, September and October, were Avet, cold, 

 and variable. This is much to be regretted, as it is 

 chiefly to this season that gardeners and farmers 



