1 6 Tranmctions. 



constantly in motion, and is cliaivieterisod )iy wavos of greater or 

 less height. When an anti-cyclone, or period of high pressure, 

 occurs the crest of the wave is passing over us, while in a cyclone 

 we are under the trough of the wave. 



Tem^Krature of the Year. — The higjiest temperature occurred 

 on the 30th June and 2d July, when the maximum reading of 

 the thermometer was 78 degrees ; the lowest on the 21st Decem- 

 ber, when the minimum reading was 8 degrees, and the river 

 Nith for the only time during the season was frozen over. Annual 

 range, 70 degrees ; mean temperature of the year, 46 '2 degrees ; 

 mean at Cargen for last 26 years, 47 '9 degrees. The mean 

 temperature of August, October, and November was above the 

 average, that of the other months was below it. During the 

 year there were 112 days on which the minimum reading of the 

 thermometer was at and below 32 degrees — 27 in January (157 

 degrees of frost); 18 in February (91 degrees); 16 in March 

 (75 degrees); 4 in April (4 degrees); 3 in September (2-5 degrees), 

 3 in October (2-5 degrees) ; 7 in November (8 degrees) ; and 27 

 in December (196 degrees) — in all 536 degrees of frost. It will 

 be observed from this statement that the autumn months were 

 characterized by milder weather than usual, while January, 

 February, and December, with the first half of March, were of a 

 peculiarly wintry character, and marked by a temperature much 

 below the average, though frequent fluctuations, both of pressure 

 and temperature, made the weather as a rule exceedingly change- 

 able. The spring and early summer were also colder than usual, 

 a circumstance which threw the harvest into a late period of the 

 year, when much rain fell, and caused great damage to cereal 

 crops. 



Rainfall, of the Year. — There was an extremely heavy fall 

 between the 12th and 13th October, when the rain gauge regis- 

 tered 0'91 in. for the 24 hours. We can better imagine how 

 much this represents when we take into account the ascertained 

 fact that the fall of an inch of rain in depth is equivalent to 

 100 tons of water per acre. But the heaviest fall of the year 

 occurred on the 5th September, on a Sabbath afternoon, when 

 1-02 in. was recorded in the 24 hours. Unlike the former, which 

 was a steady, continuous fall through the day and night, the 

 greater part of this fell witliin the space of an hour. The previous 

 day (Saturday) was oppressively warm, with a maximum temper- 

 ature of 77 degrees, and the atmosphere strongly charged with 



