THE 



CANADIAN 



MTUKALIST AID GEOLOGIST. 



* 



Vol. IV. APRIL, 1859. No. 2, 



Article V. — On the cold term of January, 1859, from observa- 

 tions taken at St. Martin, Isle Jexus, C* E., Lat. 45° 32' JV., 

 Long. 73° 36' W., 118 feet above the level of the Sea. By 

 Charles Smallwood, M.D., LL D., Professor of Meteorology 

 in the University of McGill College, Montreal. 



(Presented to the Natural History Society of Montreal.) 



The unprecedented cold term of January, 1859, has induced 

 me to place on record the principal atmospheric phenomena with 

 which it was accompanied. Its advent possessed some peculiar 

 features, not common to the normal or usual cold terms of 

 this climate. It is much to be regretted that we possess no 

 regular and extended system of meteorological observations, upon 

 which we can found conclusions as to the centre or turning point 

 of the storm. All that we know at the present is, that its course 

 was eastward, and that its duration and intensity were remarkable. 



The weather at the beginning of January, was somewhat 

 mild, the mean temperature of the 1st day, was 30°9 F. The 

 thermometer fell on the morning of the 3rd to — 4°, and was 

 followed on the 4th day by slight snow. The wind was 

 from the N. E. by E. with a mean velocity of, from 9*18 to 

 4- 17 miles per hour. The barometer on the 3rd indicated 30*416 

 inches. The wind, at noon on the 5th, veered by the South to 

 S. by E., and the barometer fell to 29'621 inches. At 3 am., 

 on the 6th it veered to the S. W. with a rising barometer. The 



Canadian Nat. 1 Vol. IV. No. 2. 



