xxxvu. 



KOTES ON THE METEOEOLOaY AND MORTALITY OF 



THE HOBART TOWN REGISTRATION DISTRICT DURING 



THE MONTH OP FEBRUARY, 1872. 



By E. Swarbreck Hall. 



Warm days, cold nights, numerous and gentle sea breezes with plenty of 

 ozone, nearly an average of rain-fall, but mostly precipitated on two days, 

 five days apart, thouglx Avith atmospheric pressure high and variable, and 

 temperature above the average, was conducive to the health of the com- 

 munity above five years old, the deaths at ail ages being considerably less 

 than the average of the previous 15 years. 



Atmospheric-pressure mean, 29 974, was +'132 above the 30 years' adopted 

 standard average for February. The range of the month was 1*019 inches; 

 the minimum 29*409, noted on the 7th ; the maximum, 30*428, on the 27th. 

 The greatest movement of the barometer in any 24 hours was a rise of -f '487 

 of an inch on the 8th. On twelve other days there were movements exceeding 

 one-fifth of an inch. The influence of these mutations of atmospheric 

 pressure is visible in the deaths under " Diseases of the Brain," &c., and 

 of the "Heart," and "old age," which altogether were 15 out of the total, 

 from all causes, of 40. 



Wind- force total, 48*38 lbs., was — 6*34 below the average, but south-east 

 sea breezes laden with ozone were not only unusually numerous, but prevailed 

 over winds from all other points of the compass, both in frequency and 

 force. The strongest winds had 5*21 lbs. pressure to the square foot, and were 

 recorded at noon on the 4th from the south-west, and at sunset on the 7th 

 from the west. No hot winds. Calms were 16 only, being — 1*67 below the 

 February average. Moderate, constant, and pure breezes from the best points 

 of the compass therefore characterised this month. 



Temperature menn, 63'()9 degrees, was -I- l*.'i8 above the 30 years' average 

 for February. The extremes were maximum high-day temperature, 89 

 degrees, on the 28th. and minimum low-night temperature, 40 degrees, in the 

 night of the 3rd. The mean of all the maxima was 76 '31 degrees, the mean 

 of all the minima being only 51 97 degrees, and the highesfof the minima but 

 60 degrees. Warm days and cool ni2:ht8 were therefore characteristic of this 

 month. The ^oet-hulh thermometer mean was 56*79 degrees, being + 1*08 above 

 the average. 



Daily range of temperature, 24*.34 degrees, was + 4*53 degrees above the 

 30 years' average. Only the first year of the series — 1841 — had so high a mean, 

 i.e., 24*30. The highest range on any day was 33 degrees on the 28th, that 

 being the extreme rnnge between the hottest pait of the day in the shade, 89 

 degrees, to the coolest record in the following night, 56 degrees. 



Solar intensity mean, 106*43 degrees, was — 1*17 below the average. 

 The highest record was made on the 28th, being 121*5 degrees only. Twice 

 in 16 years only have there been lower records. 



Terrestrial radiation mean, 47 64 degrees, was — 2*03 degrees le<?s than the 

 average, giving still stronger proof of the cool nights than the self-registering 

 minimum air-thermometer did. The coldest night was the 3rd, when the 

 thermometer sank to 34 degrees. On the night of the 20th this thermometer, 

 marked 65*5, being only half a degree less than was marked by the air- 

 thfermometer. 



Elastic force of vapour mean, 386, was -F 11 above the average. The i*ange 

 was from 224 minimum on the morning of the 3rd, to 641 maximum at noon 

 on the 20th. 



Humidity mean, 66, was — 4 less than the average. 



Rain fell to the amount of 1 *41 inches, which is only — '12 below the 

 average. It was recorded on 6 days, being - 2 93 days below the average. 

 On the 20th half an inch fell, and on the 24th a little more, i.e., *57 of an 

 inch. These two events were highly salutary in scouting the water courses, 

 sewers, kc. of decomposing organic matters. Snow fell abundantly on 

 Mount Wellington on the 7th, and did not disajjpear until some hours after 

 sunrise on the 8th. 



t^'pontaneoi'S evaporation amoiinted to 4*00 inches. 



CIoihI mean, 567, was only -t- "Ol above the aveiage. 



