21 



temperature prevaUed but little this month, and the influence on the mor- 

 tuary returns is scarcely appi-eciablo. No deaths occurred from inflammation of 

 the lungs, &c. 



The sol<ir-t/i€rmometerg&vesLmea.notl01'60 degrees, which is -— 1'68 below 

 the average of the previous 10 years, and +00*73 more than 1865 had. The 

 maximum was, 121 "5 on the 12th, and the minimum 77*0 on the 2nd. 



Terrestrial-radiation mean, 48-51 degrees, is + 00 'SB above the mean of the 

 previous ten years, and +1*58 more than 1865 had. The extremes were, 

 maximum, 58*5 on the 26th, minimum, 38 on the 2nd. Notwithstanding the 

 colder nights than usual, the earth's temperature was above the average. 1865 

 had the same maximum, but a minimum 2.^ degrees higher. 



The total rain-fall of the month was 2-38'inches, being + '86 of an inch, above 

 the 20 years' average, and + '45 of an inch more than 1865 had. There were 

 eleven days on which rain fell, being two more than the average of the pre- 

 vious eleven years, and two more than 1865 had. On the 4th, enough of rain 

 fell to make channels, with a good fall, run, but on the mornmg of the 8th it 

 fell so quickly and copiously, that in about three hours at Mr. Abbott's obser- 

 vatory, 114 inches wereguaged, while my pluviometer gave 1.69 inches. The 

 surface-drains and sewers of the city were thoroughly cleansed, and from this 

 date the deaths from bowel-complaints lessened considerably. On the 18th the 

 surface gutters again got thoroughly flushed. Snoio appeared in considerable 

 quantities on Mount Wellington on the 5th, but was all gone next day. On 

 the 8th, Mount Wellington was again well mantled with snow, but none 

 remained on the 9th. 



Spontaneous-evaporation amounted to 4'45 inches, being -f- 1 '85 inches more 

 than in 1865, None of the nine years' recorded had so much as this. , 



Elastic force of vapor had the mean of 371, being +16 above the 20 years' 

 average, though 7 less than 1865 had. The range was from 244 to 551. _ 



Humidity mean, 72, was f | above the 20 yrs' mean,though 4 less than in 1865. 



Cloud mean was 5 "51, being + "15 above the 20 years' mean, but— '98 below 

 1865. 



Ozone had a mean of 6-92, ranging from 5 to 9. It was '73 less than 1865 

 had, and slightly below the March average of the previous 8 years. With so 

 little aerial movement, and few ocean- winds, this result was to be expected. 

 The rain-fall, however, kept the mean much above what it otherwise would 

 have been. 



Electricity this month was much more favorable than in March, 1865, there 

 being 11 positive indications with maximum tension of 6 '5, while last year had 

 only 6, with maximum tension of 5, and minimum of 2 '5. Negative was re- 

 gistered 39 times, with maximum tension of 6*5, but a minimum as low as "05. 

 In 1865 there wei'e 49 negative, with maximum tension of 5*5. Nils were 6, 

 last year had 7. 



Thunder and lightning occwcredi ]ns\,heioxe midnight on the 25th. Some 

 of the citizens imagined at first that it was H.M.S.S. Cura^oa firing, having 

 been accustomed to hear a .gun report from her every evening at niae o'clock 

 and every morning at day-break while in port. A brilliant Aurora was seen 

 on the evening of the 19th. 



The 57 deaths this month, is only one more than March, 1865, had, and only 

 a fraction above the average of the previous 9 years. 



