46 TitANSACTIONS. 



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

 year was 46-3 deg. ; mean wet, 43'9 deg. ; temperature of dew- 

 point, 41 'S deg. ; relative humidity (saturation = 100), 83. The 

 thermometer readings are a fraction lower than in 1889 and 1890, 

 but higher than in 1888. The difference, 2-1 deg , is the same as 

 in 1889, but greater than in 1890 by 0-2 deg. Kelative humidity 

 in 1889, 82 ; in 1890, 84 ; in 1891, 83. 



There were no very severe thunderstorms in this district in 

 1891 ; but thunder was heard, for the most part accompanied by 

 lightning, on the following days — May 1.5th and 27th, June 2d 

 and 26th, August 3d, October 7th, and December 27th. This is 

 jirobably not an exhaustive list, but it contains all the instances 

 that came under mj^ personal cognisance. 



Halos. — A solar halo was observed on the 9th June, and 

 lunar halos on five occasions — one on each of the months of 

 January, February, March, November, and December. 



Wind. — The prevailing directions of the wind during the j'ear 

 were as follows : — From an easterly direction, including E., N.E., 

 and S.E., it blew 100| days; from a westerly direction, including 

 W., N.W., and S.W.,''it blew 185^ days ; from due N., 22 days; 

 from due S., 39 J^ days ; and calm or variable, 17^ days. 



An interesting discussion took place on the pf^per, and a 

 hearty vote of thanks was awarded to Mr Andson, on the motion 

 of Mr J. S. Thomson. 



II. — " Location of Dumfriessliirc Surnames." 

 By Mr James Shaw, Tynron. 



Happening' to have the Valuation Roll for the County of 

 Dumfries for the year 1879-80, it occurred to me that some infor- 

 mation of an interesting sort might be extracted from it with 

 regard to the location of surnames. We have historical infor- 

 mation of the arrival into the County of men who acquired lands 

 in it and founded families. Some of those family names have 

 increased and multiplied, dividing- the County among them. 

 Others of those early possessors of the County have either dwindled 

 away, or by leaving only female heirs have not at all succeeded in 

 leaving their surnames as memorials of themselves. Indeed, 

 there is an analogy between the history of surnames and that of 

 the fauna and flora which the palaeontologist makes his study. 



