23S 



it suddenly disappeared. An account of this phenomenon having been published 

 in The Times newspaper, elicited letters from observers in various parts of the 

 country, who saw the same meteor. I have reduced and tabulated their obser- 

 vations, and forwarded them to Mr. Glaisher ; a copy of the same is attached 

 to this report. 



In the month of June I received a communication from Mr. Glaisher, requesting 

 me to record all observations of seasonal phenomena respecting the changes in the 

 animal and vegetable world, such as the period of leafing and flowering of trees, 

 the migrations of birds, the state of the crops, &c. This letter was published 

 in the local papers, and I soon after received from Mr. Woodhouse, of Aymestry, 

 a very obliging communication of the observations he had made for several years 

 past on this subject. He also kindly promised to continue his observations and 

 send them to me from time to time. 



Last summer the Quarterly Reports of the Registrar General usually supplied 

 to us gratis, were stopped by order of the Government. Dr. Barker, of Bedford, 

 took up the case on behalf of the Meteorologists, and after extensive correspon- 

 dence, much trouble and expense, he succeeded in obtaining for us a contmuation 

 of the supply of their Reports, which have since been regularly forwarded. It has 

 been pioposed to present Dr. Barker with a small testimonial, in the shape of a 

 timepiece, as an acknowledgment of his exertions on our behalf, the subscription 

 to be limited to five shillings ; the greater number of observers have already paid 

 their subscription, and a proposition respecting this matter will be laid before 

 you to-day. 



J. E. SMITH, 



Meteorological Observer. 

 Hereford Infirmary, 

 January, 1859. 



