NOTES ON THE METEOROLOGY AND MORTALITY OF 

 THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, 1870, 



By E. Swarbreck Hall. 



In many respects tlie weather this month deviated from the September 

 average. The barometer was consideraVily above the mean, and very fluctu- 

 ating. The wind was in more constant motion than usual, but below the 

 average strength. Temperature was above the average. Kainfall was con- 

 siderably above the mean, though it fell on fewer days. Ozone was much 

 below the average. Nevertheless, though the mortality was but little short 

 of double the number that occurred in September, 18G9 (which, however, 

 was the smallest for any month in the year for the 13 years recorded), yet 

 it was above twelve per cent, less than the average of the previous 13 years* 

 Septembers. 



Atmospheric pressure mean, 29871, was + '110 above the 25 years' standard 

 average. It ranged from the maximum 30"539 on the 1st, to minimum 29*230 

 on the 8th. The greatest movement in any twenty-four hours was a fall of — 

 •494 of an inch between 1 p.m. of the 21st and 22nd. There were movements 

 on ten other days exceeding one-fifth of an inch. 



Wind force amounted to 63731bs. which is— 8"801bs. below the September 

 average. North-xccst wimls had 49 records out of the 90, with 35"911bs. of the 

 strength. South-west had 13 records with'16'12 of the strength. South-east 

 had 18 records, with only 8 06 of the total force. Calms, nevertheless, were 

 only 17 in number, being — 15 "45 less than the average. The strongest 

 wind, 10 ■421bs., was noted on the last day of the month, and was from the 

 north-west. 



Temperature mean, 52 "69 degrees, was -f 1 "93 above the average. The 

 maximum was 70 on the 26th, the minimum 34 on the 1st. The wet-bulb ther- 

 momefer mean was 47 "86, being -f 129 above the average. 



Daily ran(/e of temperature mean, 18 20, was only + "56 of a degree above 

 the average. The greatest range on any day was 34 degrees on the 21st. 



Solar intensifi/ mean, was 88 '97, only x '43 above the average. The maximum 

 record was 105 degrees on the 28th. 



Terrestrial radiation mean, 39*50 degrees, was + 1*11 above the average. 

 Twice in the month, on the 1st and 21st, the thermometer fell to freezing 

 point (32.) 



Elastic force of vapour vnes.n was 284 -\- 5 above the average. It ranged 

 from 164 on the 1st to 453 on the 7th. 



Humiditii mean, 72, was -f 4 below the average notwithstanding the exces- 

 sive rainfall. 



^af/i fell to the amount of 3*17 inches, being -f 1*09 above the average. 

 On five of the days, three of which were continuous, 2*87 inches fell, yet 

 without causing any flood in Hobarton. Snow was never absent from Mount 

 "Wellington during the month, and received frequent and copious additions. 



Spontaneous evaporation, 2*51 inches, was considerably below the rainfall, 

 an unusual event for the equinoctial month. 



Cloud mean, 6*09, was 4- "25 above the average. 



Ozone mean, 6*97, was 99 below the average. Only on one day, the 9th, 

 was saturation (10) attained ; this was the last of the three continuously wet 

 days. 



The Electrometer records were : — Twenty positive with tension from 4 to 6 ; 

 negative, 36, with tension 1 to 7 ; and 4 " nils." On fine nights in the last eight 

 days of the month, there were brilliant displays of the Aurora Australis. 



The deaths in the month were 37, being 5 less than the September average 

 of the previous 13 years, though -f 15 more than September 1869 had. Four 

 (4) were under one year old, one from 1 to 5, three from 5 to 10, none from 10 

 to 20, thirteen (13) from 20 to 60, and sixteen (16) at 60 and all ages above, 

 the oldest being a spinster aged 85 years. Altogether there were eight deaths 

 at and above 70 years old. No epidemic disease prevailed, and only 7 of the 

 total deaths from all causes were from diseases of an acute character. Con- 

 sumption caused three deaths, two of them natives of Tasmania, the third a 

 Swedish sailor. No deaths occurred at the Brickfields Invalid Station, but 

 four invalids died at the Cascades Station. The death-rates at these two 



