46 



Terrtatrial-radiation mean, 44. D6 dej^rees, is much higher than any May 

 of tho previous 10 years, and +4.7(> degrees above the me;\n of the whole. 

 1865 had a mean- 5 5() degrees below that of the present month. The maximum 

 was 52.5 degrees, on the 10th ; the minimum 34 degrees, OQ the Slst. For 

 1865 the extremes were 49 and W.5 degrees. 



Rain was reeonled on 10 days, being — 4.11 days below the average of 

 the ]>revious 11 years, and 4 less than 1865 had. At the same time the 

 aiuount prL;cipi*^..itrl. 1.82 inches, was 'tnly — .0:i lielow the 20 years' average 

 for .VLiV. It therefore fell in l;i gei quantities in a .smaller time than usual. 

 It was vei y heavy indeed on the uSch and 19th, the guage giving 1.25 inches 

 by .Mr. Al>bott's' observatory record, but 1.90 inches ly mine. The rain -fall 

 ai my residence for the whole month excev^ded the oV)servatory auiount by more 

 than half an inch. The same showers at their edges and centre will often 

 give very discrepant results in the amount of rain deposited. Of course, more- 

 over,showers are often very jircurascribed in their area of precipitation, [n the 

 first nine days of the month no rain whatever was recorded. 



On the 30th there was a large deposit of Stum on Mount Wellington, 

 which was still abundant on the following day. 



Spontaneous evaporation amounted to only 1'39 inches being much less than 

 rain-fall, and "24 of an inch less than May 1864 had. 



Humiditif mean was 81, being -1-2 more than the 20 years' average, and the 

 same above 1865. 



Elastic force of vapor had the mean of 342, being -f 33 higher than the 20 

 years' mean, and -1-59 more than last year. The range was from 200"7 to 4<J6 7. 



Cloud mean was 6 '40 being +70 higher than the 20 years' avearge, but 07 

 less than 1865. It is remarkable that with so much cloudy weather, that sun- 

 shine should have given so much higher a mean than usual, and indicates how 

 very hot the sun was when it was shining at all. 



O^one mean was 6 87 being 1 '31 less than 1865 had, though -f.30 more 

 than the average of the previous 9 years. The maximum 10, was only recorded 

 twice, but the metre never gave less than 5 of Schonbein's chromatic scale. 



The electrometer gave very unusual results this month. There were only 3 

 positive indications noted at the evening observation of the 26th, and both 

 observations on the succeeding day. The maximum tension was only 4. In 

 May, 1865, there were 16 positive, with maximum tension of 6. 



Negative indications were 41, being the same in number as last year, but of 

 less tension. The range being 0*5 minimum, to 4 maximum. Last year's 

 maximum was 5. 



Nils were 17, last year had only 5. It is remarkable that for many days 

 together no electricity was indicated ; as for instance from the evening observ- 

 ation of the 9th to the morning observation of the 13th, both included ; and 

 again at the morning of the 16th, and both daily observations on the 17th 

 and I8th. 



The deaths this month were 43, which is -f 2 8-9 more than the average 

 of the preceding nine years' Mays. Last year's had the same in number, 

 but differed considerably as to the causes of death, and in a slighter degree 

 also varied as to the age at death. Five years out of the nine, had a much 

 smaller mortality than the present year, and only 1864 and 1866 had a 

 greater amount. 



