NOTES — ORIGINAL AND SRLRCTEll. 7I 



BOTANY 

 Cystopus lepigoni, De Bary, in Essex. — This rare species of Micro- 

 fungus was found on the lea\'es of Spcygulayui maiina at Deadman's Point, 

 Canvey Island, on June 23rd, by Mr. Whitehead, the Assistant in the Essex 

 Museum of Natural History. The species was first recorded for Great 

 Britain in September, 1864, by Mr. R. G. Keeley, who found it growing upon 

 Spergulariu rubra in Swanscoinbe Marshes. It was also recorded by Mr. F. J. 

 Warren in 1872, who detected it upon S. marina at Fareham, Hants. Mr. 

 George Massee, F.L.S., was kind enough to confirm the determination of the 

 Essex specimens. 



METEOROLOGY. 



The Weather of rgoo. — The following interesting summary of the 

 weather in the United Kingdom during 1900 is re-printed from the Standard of 

 January 4th, igoi : — 



" The character of the weather was exceptional in many respects during 

 the past year, although there were but few features of striking interest. There 

 was a remarkable freedom from spells of cold, and very little frost ; whilst 

 fog was comparatively rare. Rain was more than usually frequent, although 

 the total measurement was not everywhere above the average, and a greater 

 degree of warmth than usual has prevailed during the winter months. Wind 

 storms were not at all frequent, and, with a very few exceptions, those 

 experienced were not severe, although, towards the close of December, heavy 

 gales occurred over the whole of the British Islands. July was the only 

 summer month with especially high temperatures, and, although thunder- 

 storms were fairly frequent, they were not generally heavy. The aggregate 

 rainfall for the year was in excess of the average over the greater part of the 

 Kingdom, the greatest excess being about Sin. in the west of Scotland and in 

 the south of Ireland. In the western districts of England the excess amounted 

 to 3in., but in the Midland districts the total rainfall was in agreement with 

 the average, while in the east and south of England there was a deticiency of 

 about 2in. The number of days with rain ranged from 255 in the north of 

 Scotland to about 180 in the Midland Counties and in the south of England. 

 The temperature was nearly everywhere in excess of the average. There was 

 rather a larger amount of bright sunshine than usual, the excess on the 

 average being more than 100 hours in the south of England aud in the 

 Channel Islands. 



" In the neighbourhood of London, as shown by the observations made 

 at Greenwich, the total rainfall for the year was about 2in. less than the 

 average of the previous 60 years. The total measurement was 22'3in., and 

 during the last 18 years there have only been three years with an excess of 

 rain. The wettest month of the year was February, with a total fall of 

 3'6iin., which is 2i2in. above the average. The only other wet months were 

 January, with an excess of o'4oin. ; June, with an excess of oySin. ; and 

 December, with an excess of about o-6in. The driest month was September, 

 with a total rainfall of oyGin. ; and in both March and April there was less 

 than an inch of rain. The greatest deficiency was i-43in. in September and 

 i'24 in October. In the five months July to November the deficiencj? 

 amounted to 4- lin. Rain fell in 182 days, and with practically the same 



