229 



England ; one afifecting a limited space only, whilst the other was quite as 

 extensive as that of 1863, but much less violent. 



The November meteors were again visible in England, but the appearance 

 did not equal in gi-ande\ir the wonderful display of 1866. 



As I trust the Tables will be found to contain all the information my 

 observations during the past year enable me to offer, I shall not attempt to 

 enter into detail here on other points, but confine myself to a few observations 

 respecting the high temperature of the past year, and a few remarks on the 

 October earthquake. 



In the Times of Monday, July 27th, 1868, Mr. G. J. Symons has pub- 

 lished some very valuable information respecting the temperature of the hottest 

 years of recent date, commencing with 1806 ; and from his figures I select 

 the following records of the high thermometer readings : — 



1806. At Plaistow, in shade, June 10th, 95 deg., and 90 deg. or upwards 

 on three days. 



1808. Somerset House, Max., in shade, July 12th, 90 deg., 13th, 93-5 deg., 

 14th, 91 deg. 



Plaistow, Max., in shade, July 12th, 92 deg., 13th, 96 deg., 14th, 94 deg. 



1818. Tottenham, July 24th, Mr. Luke Howard registered 93 deg. in the 

 shade. 



1825. Stratford, July, Mr. Luke Howard registered 90 deg. or upwards, 

 in shade, on seven days ; the highest reading being 97 deg. on the 18th. 



1826. Mr. Luke Howard registered, in shade, 92 deg. on the 27th of 

 June, and 91 deg. on the 28th. The mean temperature of the summer months 

 was very high, and the drought excessive. 



1846. July was very hot ; highest reading, in shade, at Greenwich, 93'3 

 deg., and 94 deg. at Clapham. 



1852. A wet year, but July remarkably hot; "the monthly mean tem- 

 perature 66 "6 deg., having been only exceeded by July, 1778, when it was 67 

 deg., and July, 1859, when it was 68 '1 deg. The extreme heat, however, was 

 only 90 '3 deg., in shade, at Greenwich." 



1857. Greenwich, June 28th, 927 deg., in shade. 



1858. Greenwich, June 16th, 94 '5 deg., in shade. 



1859. "Temperatures of 92, 92 5, and 93 deg., in shade, recorded at 

 Greenwich, and 80 deg. reached on 21 days at that station." 



So much for the high temperatures of past years. We see that 90 deg. 

 (or upwards) in shade is occasionally recorded in England, but that it is a very 

 high reading for this country, and always noted as something out of the common. 



During the hot weather of 1868 the thermometer registered, at Hereford, 

 91 degrees or upwards in shade on eight days, and with us July 22nd was the 

 hottest day of the year ; but it was not so at all stations, and Mr. Symons 

 observes : — " That the date of the hottest day seems to have travelled certainly 

 in rather a remarkable manner, being the 13th (July) in the West of Ireland and 

 North West of Scotland, 14th in the middle of Ireland, and at one or two 



