10 



morning of the Sth snow wiis visible on Mount Wellington, but it six^tdily dis- 

 nUpcaied, So nnicli rain equally «li.stiil)ute(l throughout the moutli, and precipi- 

 tiited at a moderate rate, had a very jjurifying effect on the atnio.sj)here, and 

 obviated much of the evil arising fioni want of airial movement. 



fSponfd/icims evaporation amounted to l-{'74 inches. 



Elastic force of Vapour had a mean of 393, being +20 above that of the 20 

 years ; rather an anomalous result, considering the condition of other of tho 

 meteorological phenomena. It was also + '30 higher than February 1864 had. 



Humidity mean was 74, being + 3.^, higher, than tho 20 years' average, and 

 + 5 above 18G4. 



Cloud mean was, G'50, being + 'SI more than the February average of 

 20 years, and + 1 "58 more than February 18G4, 



Ozone mean was, 7 81, being +'91 above the average of the previous seven 

 years, and only exceeded by that of 18G3. The maximum was, 9 '5 on the 

 28th, the minimum 5 '5 ou the 3rd. 



Electricity had only three jjositive indications, with maximum tension of 4. 

 The negatives were, 42, with maximum tension of 7 ; nil was recorded 11 times. 

 No lightning was seen ; but mutterin^s of thunder were heard on the evening 

 of the IGth. The Southern lights were strong on the evening of the 18th. 



The 53 deaths for February 18G5, is — 7 2-8ths below the eight years' average 

 for this mouth ; but last year, and 18G1 were both numerically smaller as the 

 table following exhibits : — 



In every group of ages below " 45 to 60," it will be perceived that the deaths 

 were less than the eight years' mean ; except at from " 5 to 20," which had a 

 small excess. The average was also slightly exceeded at, from " 45 to 60 ;" but 

 the principal excess fell upon old people at " all ages above GO." The fluctua- 

 tions of atmospheric pressure, as already alluded to, was the phenomenon 

 principally accountable for this. At all ages below five j^ears, the deaths were 

 not quite two-thirds of the 8 years' average, though the month of February is 

 usually the most fatal of all the months of l^he year,to children of that age. 

 Nine of the 15 deaths in the last group, were above the " three score and 

 ten" the Royal Psalmist gives for the normal duration of the life of man ; three 

 were respectively aged 81, 84, 85, being one-half of the deaths at the Male 

 Invalid Asjdum at the Brickfields; the other three being 70, 74, 76. In 

 Februaiy, 1864, only one man died in that establishment, aged 73. 



