xcvl Proceedings. 
had been stated by Mr. Symons that the rainfall for the United 
Kingdom during 1894 was quite an average one, in our own 
district the year was very wet, and tables were given showing 
that there was an excess of 2:46 in. at Greenwich, 3:08 in. at 
Surbiton, and 5°61 in. at Mt. Ararat, Wimbledon. Mr. Bayard 
drew attention to the comparatively large number of days— 
eight in number—on which one inch or more fell in twenty-four 
hours. Fortunately the nature of the ground prevented any 
disastrous floods which affected so many places in the catchment 
area of the River Thames. 
At the same meeting Dr. Franklin Parsons read “Some 
further Observations on Earth Temperatures”’ (Trans., Art. 122). 
The observations were made as before with thermometers placed 
in the ground at depths of four feet and one foot. During the 
three years 1892-94 the highest temperature attained by the 
four-foot thermometer was 63°5° on August 20th, 1893, and the 
lowest 38°9° on January 24th, 1892. The highest attained by 
the one-foot thermometer was 72° on August 19th, 1893, and 
the lowest 33°8° on January 8th, 1893. The above minima had, 
however, been exceeded during the memorable frost of February 
last, when the lowest point reached by the four-foot thermometer 
was 88°3° on February 19th, 1895, and the lowest by the one- 
foot thermometer 82°6° on February 18th, 1895. That the 
one-foot thermometer had not reached 82°, nor become frozen to 
the tube, during a frost which had then lasted a month with the 
mean temperature of the air on some days not exceeding 17°, 
and a minimum of 9° recorded, Dr. Parsons considered was a 
proof that it can very rarely happen that the ground is frozen 
at a depth of one foot. Subsequent observations showed the 
lowest point reached by the four-foot thermometer was 37°4° on 
March 7th, 1895. The one-foot thermometer was found on 
February 20th firmly frozen into its tube, and so remained until 
March 8th, so that observations during this period could not be 
taken. Diagrams were exhibited showing the curves of the 
four-foot thermometer during the three years 1892-94, and the 
general course of the curves was similar. The minimum is 
reached in the latter part of January or February; but in two of 
the three years there had been a double minimum, the first in 
January, and the second about the end of February or in March. 
From the end of March to the beginning of July there is a rapid 
and almost continuous ascent; later in July a slight decline, 
the temperature rising again to its yearly maximum in August. 
February 19th.—Dr. Dukes exhibited the curious jumping-bean 
from Mexico. Perhaps it would be as well to place upon record 
some of the facts which have been published with regard to this 
phenomenon. The movements of the so-called bean are due to 
