g6 SMITIISOMIAN MISCELLANKOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 79 



The values for St. Ann's, 1853 to 1894, have been made 

 compara1)le with the observations at the Botanic 

 Station, 1895-1920, by the application of this 

 correction. 



BELEN COLLEGE OB.SERVATORY, HABANA, CUBA 



Belen College Observatory has been situated in the old city of 

 Habana from 1857 to 1925. From 1857 to 1897 it was on the third 

 floor over the front of the college, facing east. In 1897 the observa- 

 tory was enlarged and the instruments were installed in a tower over 

 the fourth floor, still facing east. This tower was 95 m. from the 

 church belfry, the only other neighboring building higher than the 

 Observatory. 



There has been only one change in the position of the ijistruments, 

 which took place in 1897, thus forming two series, one from 1857 to 

 1897, the other from 1898 to 1925. 



In the first series the cistern of the barometer was 19.3 m. above 

 sea level, the thermometer at 14.5 m. above the level of the street, 

 and the mouth of the rain gage 19 m. above the street. 



In the second series the cistern of the barometer was 24.34 m. 

 above sea level, the thermometer 20.5 m. above the street, except for 

 a few years when it was 25.3 m. above the street ; and the rain gage 

 was 24.95 "^- above the street. 



The tables of atmospheric pressure and temj^eraturc, respectively, 

 are the means of ten daily bi-hourly observatioiis, from 4'' to 20*^ 

 inclusive. As the observations l)etween 24'' and 2'' are lacking, the 

 diurnal period is not complete. 



In the pressure table, attention is called to the period of the first 

 14 years, during which the means are somewhat low in relation to all 

 the rest of the series. During these years all ten daily eye observa- 

 tions were not made ; for this reason a discrepancy is shown in rela- 

 tion to the rest of the series. 



The temperature table begins with 1871, the ten daily eye observa- 

 tions having been started that year and continued without interrup- 

 tif)n. Account should be taken of the position of the thermometers 

 which had a northerly window exposure from 1871 to 1897. They 

 were protected on the inside by a glass and shutters and on the outside 

 by more shutters. This window was situated over a nearby roof, 

 which tended to elevate the temperature by radiation or convection, 

 most noticeably during spells of calm and strong solar action. 



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