38 Meteorology. 



in March and again in October — was there a shght covering of it 

 upon the ground, which speedily thawed and disappeared. But 

 hail fell several times in the end of April and in September. 



Thunderstorms were not numerous during the year. I 

 observed only five, two of which occurred in June and three in 

 September. The most severe was on the 6th of June, when twice 

 during the day — at 11 A.M. and again between 1.30 and 3.30 P.M. 

 — there was a thunderstorm of considerable severity. This was 

 the accompaniment of the break of the weather after the pro- 

 tracted drought and heat which preceded it. 



Hygrometer. — The mean of the dry bulb thermometer for the 

 year was 47'8 deg. ; mean wet, 45 '3 deg. Temperature of the 

 dew point, 42-6. Relative humidity (saturation being equal to 

 100), 83. May had the lowest relative humidity, viz., 68 ; April 

 had 74, and June 75. The other monthly values rang-ed from 75 

 to 91. The relative humidity of 83 is about the average of the 

 last ten years. 



Wind. — With regard to the wind directions of the year, the 

 westerly prevailed most out of the eight points reckoned in the 

 report. But northerly and easterly winds were more than usually 

 frequent. Grouping the N., N.E., E., and N,.W. together, the 

 number of days ni which they prevailed was 168 ; while the S., 

 S.E., S.W., and W. claimed 178 ; and calm or variable was 18. 

 The mean force, however, as might have been expected from the 

 more than average height of the barometer, was decidedly imder 

 the mean. 



Mr J. S. Thomson, jeweller, proposed a vote of thanks to Mr 

 Andson for his valuable report. In doing so he suggested that 

 the society should take steps to get the gauge for indicating- the 

 height of the river replaced at the New Bridge, it having been 

 carried away at the break-up of the ice in 1895. — Mr James 

 Lennox seconded the vote of thanks.— Mr Rutherford of Jarding- 

 ton suggested that the gauge should be painted on the bridg-e 

 itself. 



Dr Maxwell Ross, medical officer for the county, said he 

 always followed with interest the observations of Mr Andson as 

 they were recorded in the Standard from time to time, and he 

 found them very helpful, because there was a relation between the 

 state of the weather and the recurrence of certain diseases. This 

 had been laid down in the classical observations of Mr Buchan and 

 Sir Arthur Mitchell, who, taking the Registrar-General's returns 



