OBSERVED IX HEnTFORDSHIRE IX 1892. 185 



the land again worked splendidly, and consequently spring corn 

 and other seeds -were got in under the most favourable conditions. 



The s]>ring flowers on the list were all more or less late in 

 making their appearance. According to the returns sent in, the 

 mean variations from the average were as a rule as follows : — 

 Wood-anemone twelve days late, blackthorn eleven days late, 

 garlic hedge-mustard two days late, horse-chestnut nine days late, 

 hawthorn five days late, and white ox-eye four days late. 



The spring migrants also arrived later than usual, the swallow 

 being five days late, the cuckoo seven, and the nightingale four 

 days late. 



The insects on the list were also behind their average dates, the 

 wasp being seventeen days late, the small white butterfly three 

 days, and the orange-tip butterfly ten days late. 



The Summer. 



The weather of the first and last ten days in June was warm 

 and at times even quite hot, but the remaining ten days were 

 all very cold. On one night (that preceding the 15th) the exposed 

 thermometer indicated a sharp ground-frost. This was the first 

 month for six months in which the rainfall had been at all above 

 the mean. July was cold, the mean temperature seldom rising 

 above the average, while the rainfall proved unseasonably heavy. 

 During August the days were as a rule warm, whereas the night 

 temperatures were often singularly low for a summer month. 

 The fall of rain was again heavy. 



The June rains unfortunately came too late for the hay, which 

 proved in most cases a very scanty crop. The corn and other 

 farm-crops were, however, greatly benefited. The frost of June 

 15th proved remarkably keen for a summer month, and in most 

 low-lying districts gi-eatly damaged potatoes, scarlet runners, and 

 other tender vegetables. During July and August, considering 

 that these are generally the warmest months of the year, the 

 progress made by vegetation was slow. Bush-fruits and straw- 

 berries were as a rule good and plentiful. Duiing the sunny days 

 of August, butterflies made their appearance in unusual numbers 

 — notably peacocks, red admirals, and painted ladies. That erratic 

 butterfly, the clouded yellow, was also frequently seen. The mean 

 date of flowering of the dog-rose was about seasonable, but the 

 black knapweed, harebell, and greater bindweed came into blossom 

 respectively eight, six, and four days later than the average. 



The Autumn. 



Notwithstanding the unseasonable coldness of many of the nights, 

 the first autumn month was on the whole rather a warm one than 

 otherwise, while the rainfall was only about seasonable. October 

 may be described as having been cold and wet throughout. In 

 fact there occurred but very few days during the course of it "with- 

 out some rain. During J^ovember the weather continued variable, 

 but usually very mild, with about an average rainfall. 



VOL. VII. — PART YI. 14 



