140 METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 



stones were short-pyriforni, and in substance resembled compact 

 snow. On the 30tli there were also hail-showers occasionally 

 during- the day. 



May. — Tliis month was generally cold and windy. The mean 

 temperature of the days was only lf° below the average of the 

 days in May, but the niean of tlie night temperatures was 4° 

 colder than the average. The first four nights were frosty. 

 Pears were then generally out of bloom, and a plentiful crop of 

 young fruit had set, notwithstanding the previous cold nights, 

 even as much as 7° below freezing, on the 26th and 27th of the 

 preceding month. But the trees had not then been much excited 

 by warm weather. They became, however, very much so in 

 consequence of a warm south v/ind on the 8th, 9th, and 10th of 

 the present month. On the latter of these days tlie thermometer 

 rose to 70'^ in the shade. The sap was in rapid motion towards 

 the young fruit, when it was suddenly checked by 5° of frost on 

 the night of the 14th. The flow of sap appeared to have been 

 in consequence diverted from the fruit, and afterwards appro- 

 priated by the foliage. -At all events most of the former became 

 yellow in a few days, and dropped, after it had endured, 17 days 

 earlier, 2° more of frost, with much less foliage to shelter it, 



June. — The mean temperature was about 1^° below the ave- 

 rage. The quantity of rain was nearly half an inch less than 

 the usual amount; none fell after the 18th; and from this time 

 to the end of the month the days were generally very hot. Occa- 

 sionally, however, the nights were comparatively cold. On that 

 of the 23rd the thermometer was within 3° of freezing, probably 

 the effect of a brisk north-west wind on the 22nd. The 5th, 8th, 

 and 1 6th were boisterous. 



July. — Upwards of 1^ inch above the usual quantity of rain 

 fell in this month ; yet there were many fine days, for nearly 

 half the amount of rain fell on the 1st and 23rd, The morning 

 of the 1st was hazy and mild ; several peals of thunder were 

 heard ; and again about 8 p,m,, lightning being then vivid, with 

 rain falling in torrents. This rain, it may be remarked, and also 

 that of the 23rd, came in the train of east winds, and not from 

 south-west, as heavy and continued summer rains generally do. 

 The mean temperature of the month was nearly 3° below the 

 average. 



August. — The mean temperature of the month was folly equal 

 to the average. During the first three weeks the weather was, 

 on the whole, exceedingly fine, with scarcely any rain excepting 

 on the l7th. The barometer stood high throughout the month, 

 altliough south-west winds were prevalent. The day of the 27th 

 was fine ; but during the night a greater depth of rain fell than 

 in any 24 hours of the preceding 26 years, at least in this 



