( XIV ) 



METEOROLOGY. 



\^D educed from Ohscrvations made at the lioyal Observatory, Greenwicli.'] 



The weather at the beginning of the year 1866 was stormy, with 

 gales of wind. The temperature was high for the season. On the 

 11th day there was an imusual fall of sticking snow, of very groat 

 specific gravity. The street traffic in London was extremely diffi- 

 cult; the telegraphic wires were so loaded with snow, and the wind 

 was so violent, that many poles gave waj^ and telegraphic commu- 

 nication all roimd London was greatly interrupted. The snow was 

 of that unusually dense character, that 6 inches in depth produced 

 Avater to the depth of li in. nearly. A very rapid thaw set in, and 

 within two or three days all the snow disappeared, and floods 

 ensued. All the low-lying lands along the valley of the Thames 

 were imder water. The weather continued changeable throughout 

 January, with heavy rains and gales of wind. The characteristic 

 feature of this month was its extraordinary warmth, it being Q\° 

 above its average value from 50 years' observation. This unusual 

 temperature continued till 12th February, and the average daily 

 excess of temperature up to this time was 6°. From the 1 3th day 

 of February till 15th March the weather was cold, and almost con- 

 stantly below the average for the season of the year. The average 

 daily defect of temperature for this period was 2°-9 ; four days of 

 warm weather followed, each day being about 2° in excess of its 

 average temperature. This was succeeded by four days of very cold 

 weather, the defect averaging 4^ daily ; and tlie quarter closed with 

 eight days whose temperature exceeded their averages by 6°. 



The extremely mild weather in January and the first part of 

 February stimulated vegetation to a very unusual activity for this 

 season. Hedges and early fruit-trees were budding, and some were 

 ready to burst into blossom. 



The change in the middle of February, from a mild and damp, to 

 a colder and dryer atmosphere, prevented vegetation advancing too 

 rapidly, and was otherwise beneficial to agricultural operations, hy 

 enabling flirmers to do much field and farm work, which in man}- 

 places, owing to the sodden state of the ground, was in a very 

 backward state. 



At the end of the quarter vegetation was st;fficiently checked by 

 the cold weather, and the growing crops generally were sufficiently 

 advanced to be secure from the danger of sudden frosts. 



At the beginning of April the weather was cold, the temperature 

 being below the averag-e to the mean amount of 2'^'4 during the 



