44 Transactions. 



hygrometrical observations have been taken, that average being 

 83, and the average difference slightly over 2-3 deg. 



Thunderstorms. — I have noted 18 days on which thunder and 

 lightning occurred, or the one of these vs^ithout the other, viz. : 3 

 in February, 1 in March, 2 in May, 2 in June, 4 in July, 3 in 

 August, 1 in September, and 2 in October. The most remarkable 

 and by far the severest of these was the storm of the 8th July, 

 when about mid-day the wind suddenly rose to a terrific pitch, 

 more like a tornado or whirlwind than an ordinary gale, and along 

 with repeated peals of thunder and vivid flashes of lightning hail- 

 stones of extraordinary size fell, doing great damage to glass and 

 crops. As I was from home at the time I cannot speak from per- 

 sonal observation, but a full account was given in the Standard 

 newspaper of the 12th, of which the following is a brief abstract : 

 " On Friday, the 7th, and Saturday, the 8th, the weather was 

 exceedingly warm and sultry, with a maximum temperature of 

 fully 80 deg. Thunder peals were heard on Friday night, and at 

 a late hour there were vivid and incessant flashes of lightning. 

 About 11 o'clock on Saturday, the 8th, there was a heavy thunder 

 shower, and at mid-day, following upon several peals of thunder, 

 there was a sudden and strong rush of wind up the valley of the 

 Nith from the south-west, and simultaneous with it a fall of hail- 

 stones of extraordinary size, most of them of the size of large marbles 

 or pigeon's eggs, but many also of larger dimensions. Some that 

 were measured were found to be an inch and three-quarters in 

 length and two and a half inches in circumference, and others there 

 were in various places which are said to have exceeded these 

 dimensions. In form many of them were flat and roughly circu- 

 lar, with a white core surrounded by clear ice, and another white 

 portion forming- the outer coating. The hailstorm lasted barely 

 a quarter of an hour, but the wind, being of hurricane force, not 

 only overturned in its course ricks of corn and hay, and in some 

 cases uprooted trees, but, hurling these large pieces of ice against 

 windows exposed to the south and west, and falling upon conser- 

 vatories like a shower of stones, caused immense damage to glass, 

 while very serious havoc also was wrought in gardens and 

 orchards, and in growing crops of corn and turnips in the line of 

 its progress. The hailstorm was strictly local in its character, as 

 is usually the case with such storms, and mainly confined to the 

 Nith valley, as far up as the parish of Closeburn. Troqueer, 



