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in which it has been very much otherwise. I have shown that the 

 character of the seasons very much depends upon the way in which 

 the easterly winds are distributed through the year. The easterly, 

 or the whole class of winds from N. to E. inclusive, being for the 

 most part dry, and the opposite winds, or south-Avesterly, wet, 

 " a great prevalence of either of these classes of winds during any 

 one year, or any one season, in particular, may quite alter its 

 usual character, and render it colder or hotter, wetter or dri«r, as 

 it may happen." When the easterly winds are much in excess 

 during the summer half-year, the summer is generally very hot 

 and dry, as in 1842 and 1846. When the same winds are at a 

 maximum, but prevail mostly in the winter and spring months, as 

 in 1840, when there were none in June and July, these winds 

 being generally succeeded by the south westerly varying to N,W., 

 both summer and autumn are changeable, with rain at intervals. 

 In 1841, the eas.terly winds were at a minimum, occurring chiefly 

 in February and April, and the summer and autumn of that year 

 were the wettest of any recorded in my Cambridgeshire Registers. 



How has it been, now, with the winds of last year 1 Of 

 course I speak only of the winds as they have been at Bath. If 

 we inspect the Institution Registers we shall find that the pre- 

 vailing winds have not often been direct east, but, taking a broad 

 comprehensive view, rather northerly, i.e., from some point in the 

 northern hemisphere. Such winds seldom remain long perfectly 

 stationary, excepting in very settled weather, but keep shifting 

 at times Avestward or eastward, when they become mixed up with 

 other currents, from the west or south-west on the one hand, or 

 from the east and south-east on the other hand. These changes, 

 which are attended by an unsteady barometer, naturally lead to 

 unsettled weather, with frequent rain or snow, according to cir- 

 cumstances, and the time of year. 



Going back, then, to the commencement of the winter, towards 

 the end of October, 1878, during which month the winds were 

 chiefly northerly, we find in November, when the winter had fairly 



