30 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



nature of the weather, the amount of rain which fell was under 

 the average, only 2-52 inches being registered. Of this quantity 

 0-50, or half an inch, fell on the afternoon and evening of the 19th. 

 The cold winds had a retarding effect on vegetation, and the 

 month was well advanced before the swelling of buds on trees 

 was very noticeable. Snowdrops and winter aconites began to open 

 freely during the first week, followed a little later by the crocus 

 and early forms of narcissi, all of which made a fair display. 

 Jasminum nudijlortcm and Rhododendron prcecox were in flower 

 by the 18th— both much later than usual. 



April. — The unsettled weather which prevailed in March 

 continued for a few days, when, with a change of the wind north- 

 wards, it became drier, with slight frosts. Throughout there was 

 a lack of warmth, and with a prevalence of biting winds the 

 weather was unseasonably cold, and somewhat changeable. 



The atmospheric pressure was fairly regular, showing no extreme 

 fluctuations. On the 1st it was at 29-30 inches, rising to 30-10 

 inches on the 7th, then falling moderately to 29-60 inches on 

 the 21st. A sharp drop to 29 '20 inches on the 22nd was 

 accompanied by a short storm of wind and rain. With a change 

 of the wind eastwards, the pressure rose quickly and regularly till 

 the 28th when it stood at 30-20 inches. 



Though the thermometer was at or below freezing point on 

 eight occasions, frost was registered only on five days to the total 

 of 7°. The average maximum temperature was 53°, and the 

 average minimum 41°, as compared with 54° and 37° in April, 1901. 



The rainfall for the month was only 0-82 inch, a remarkably 

 small quantity for April, and very much below the average. 

 There were 18 dry days. 



On account of the cold drying winds, vegetation was slow 

 in developing, the leafing of the larger deciduous trees being 

 especially backward. The hawthorn, willow, and balsam poplar 

 were not much in leaf before the middle of the month, and it was 

 near the end ere such subjects as the beech, sycamore, birch, lime, 

 laburnum, and chestnut appeared. It was likewise during the 

 last week ere the pears and plums were in bloom, also the ribes, 

 Rhododendron Eugenie, hyacinths, and tulips, which usually are 

 about a fortnight earlier. The great bulk of narcissi bloomed 



