ANALYSIS OF OBSERVATORY RECORDS, WITH HEALTH REPORT 

 FOR MARCH. BY DR. E. SWARBRECK HALL. 



More enjoyable weather than existed during this month could scarcely be 

 possible. Sunny, with moderate temperature, abundant and gentle ozone- 

 laden sea breezes, almost cloudless clear skies, with only one day of smart 

 rain and five others with sprinkling showers, formed altogether such genial 

 weather, that it well deserved the epithet of " heavenly " which our numerous 

 visitors from the Australian Continent and other less favoured climates so 

 rapturously affixed to it. Nevertheless most of the atmospherical phenomenon 

 varied greatly from the mean character of the month, as exhibited by the 

 Meteorological Records of the previous twenty-nine years. 



Barometrical pressure mean exceeded the 25 years adopted standard average 

 by + -322 of an inch. Only once before in the previous 29 years had any 

 month of the twelve a higher mean, i.e., July, 1860, with 30-193 against 

 30177 of the present month. High barometrical pressure in Tasmania is 

 usually accompanied with a high death-rate, unless when counteracted by 

 other more favourable atmospheric influences, as it was in the present month. 

 Moreover, the extreme range of the pressure for the whole month was only '662 

 of an inch, being less than ever before recorded for March, while the minimum 

 29-775 was far the highest ever before registered. Only seven times during 

 the month did the range from noon to noon exceed a quarter of an inch, the 

 highest being a rise of + -433 on the 27th, which has been exceeded seven 

 times out of the previous nine years. The maximum record 30-437 on the 

 11th has been exceeded six times in the previous 29 years. 



The Wind-force tot2i\, 47*33 lbs. was — 5*76 lbs. below the average for this 

 equinoctial month, but the falling off was entirely in winds from bhe points 

 of the compass (northerly) least favourable to health. Gentle health-bearing 

 sea breezes (southerly) prevailed to an unusual extent ; 5 out of the 93 records 

 being winds from south-east and south-west, and with one strong west wind, 

 having more than two-thirds of the total force, with only the one day referred 

 to on which the pressiire to the square foot amounted to 5-21 lbs. There 

 were only 18 calms registered being — 10-22 less than the March average. 



Mean Temperature, 60-71 degrees, was less than one degree + 00*95) above 

 the March average. The extremes of the self-registering maximum and 

 minimum thermometers were respectively only 83 and 40, which have been 

 exceeded —in the one above, and in the other below— frequently. The highest 

 maximum for March being 99 in 1861, and the lowest minimum 38 in 1853, 

 1855, 1856. The daily range, however, was slightly (+ 1*02) above the March 

 average, and with high atmospheric pressure and cold dry winds caused sonae 

 cases of inflammation of the air passages, catarrh, bronchitis, pneumonia 

 and croup, and had a fatal effect on long standing cases of pulmonary con- 

 sumption. 



The mean of Solar Intensity, notwithstanding the great prevalence of sun- 

 shine and the very small average of cloudy days was slightly ( — "77) below 

 the average ; and the extreme record 120 degrees on 2nd and 17th has fre- 

 quently been much exceeded in former years. 



Terrestrial-radiation mean 46-81 degrees, was — 1*34 below the average. 



Elastic force of Vapour, 360, was + 4 above average, ranging from 217 to 

 534, and therefore adverse to health. 



Humidity mean, 68, was only — 3 below the average, notwithstanding the 

 dry sunny days and small rain-fall, but then the night dews were heavy. 



Rainfall, -94 of an inch was '73 less than the average, "75 of it fell on 

 one day, the 19th, with heavier thunder and more brilliant lightningt ban has 

 been experienced for a long time in Hobart Town. This down-pour had the 

 effect of cleansing the gutters, sewers, and drains of the city, which Avanted 

 it badly. February and IVIarch of this year conjointly have had less rainfall 

 than any February and March upon record. 



Spontaneous Evaporation, 4-42, was not much in excess above the averages. 



Cloud mean, 4-32, was — 1*10 less than the 25 years' average, only two 

 years in the previous 29 years had a smaller mean. 



Ozone mean, 6*87, was only -26 below the average of the previous twelve 

 years, no year since 1862 having had so small a mean. With such a small 



