224 J. HOPKINSOX — METEOEOLOGICAL OBSEETATIONS. 



barometer had fallen to 28-670 ins. The month was unusually 

 "warm, the mean temperature being higher than in November. 

 The minimum was below 32° on six days, five of which were 

 between the 23rd and 27th inclusive. The wind was chiefly 

 southerly, verging mostly to W. at the beginning and end of the 

 month, and to E. from the 14th to the 20th. The only days free 

 from rain or snow were the 8th, 9th, 10th, 14th, 21st, and 22nd, 

 the days of snow being the 23rd, 25th, and 26th. 



Januaky. — Until the 10th the temperature was about the same 

 as the mean of December, and from the 10th to the 15th it was 

 lower, higher again from the 16th to the 20th, suddenly lower on 

 the 21st, and about the mean of the entire month to the end. The 

 minimum was below 32° on five days. The wind was south- 

 westerly almost throughout the month, inclining rather to S. until 

 the 24th, from which date it was more westerly, sometimes N.'NV. 

 Pressure varied considerably. The lowest reading of the barometer 

 was 28-673 ins. at 9 a.m. on the 2nd, and the highest 30-663 at 

 9 a.m. on the 21st, the range being therefore about two inches. 

 Eain fell every day but the 12th, 20th, 21st, and 22nd, the three 

 consecutive days without rain coinciding with the high barometer. 

 A lunar halo was observed on the evening of the 24th. 



Pebruaet. — The temperature remained about the same as during 

 the last week of January. It was rather higher from the 7th to 

 the 15th (the mean during this period being 46°) and much lower 

 towards the end of the month. The mean of the last three days 

 was 31°-8. The minimum was below 32° on three days. It was 

 lowest the last day of the month, which also, if we exclude 

 November as an autumnal month, was the coldest day of the 

 winter of 1876-77. Pressure was much more equable than during 

 the two previous months. The lowest reading of the barometer 

 was 29-172 ins. at 9 a.m. on the 20th and the highest 30-366 at 

 9 p.m. on the 4th. The prevailing direction of the wind was 

 westerly, inclining to S.W. to the 19th, and to N. or N.W. after- 

 wards. The fall of rain was pretty evenly distributed over the 

 month. Snow fell on the 20th, 25th, and 26th. 



