NOTES. 
XXIII.— Preliminary Report of the Sub-Committee on Meteorology 
on the Temperature of the River Stour. 
Armrp sy Mr. H. Dean. 
May, 1880. 
With the view of giving effect to the intentions of the 
Committee of the British Association appointed to arrange an 
investigation of the seasonal variations of temperature in Lakes, 
Rivers, &c., in various parts of the United Kingdom, in conjunction 
with the Societies sending delegates to the above Association, the 
Committee of the East Kent Natural History Society wrote for, 
and procured, a copy of ‘‘ Directions to Observers,” together with 
a thermometer and Observation Book, from John Gunn, Esq., 
F.R.S. and G.S., Edinburgh, and appointed a Sub-Committee to carry 
out the instructions contained in the Secretary’s letter of November, 
1888. They were fortunate in securing the willing services of an 
associate of their Society, Mr. Henry Dean, of 35, St. Peter’s 
Street, Canterbury, by whom the observations now to be reported 
on were made. 
The observations commenced on the 18th December, and have 
been continued day by day to the present time, a period of five 
months, and will continue to be made throughout the year. 
The river, in which the observations are taken, forms the 
Western Branch of the Stour which flows through Canterbury, and 
empties itself into the sea at Pegwell Bay, near Sandwich, about 
15 miles distant. The depth of water is about two feet in the 
ordinary state of the river, increasing to three feet or more when 
the river isin flood. The direction of the stream is from 8.W. 
to N.E. The banks are low and shaded with trees. 
In accordance with the directions received from the Secretary 
of the Committee, the observations were taken at 9 a.m. regularly, 
day by day, always at the same place, and within five minutes 
walk from Mr. H. Dean’s house. Remarks on ‘State of River 
and Weather” are entered in the Observing Book at the same 
time. The following are some of the results noticed :—- 
In December, as a general rule, the temperature of the water 
was higher than that of the air; but there were exceptions, ¢.g., on 
the 19th December the temperature of air and water was nearly 
