237 



of rain for several months previous. In June, W. to X. winds took 

 the precedence, passing into N. and nortli-easterly in July, both 

 these months being extremely hot and dry, with a mean tempera- 

 ture above the average, in July several degrees above it, and the 

 maximum rising in July to 90" and upwards. In not one of the 

 three months of May, June and July, did the rainfall much exceed 

 half an inch. 



In August, the winds were mostly W. and N.W., with the 

 temperature high at the beginning of the month, afterwards 

 moderate with much rain. In SejDtember, north-easterly winds 

 again prevailed, with high temperature, and no rain whatever 

 fell till the 17th, after which date the rainfall was large and the 

 winds variable. It may be added that the above hot season was 

 followed by a very mild December, the thermometer on one 

 occasion rising nearly to 60", and not once falling at night to 

 freezing point. 



The above comparison of the two years, 1868 and 1879, is given 

 as a good example of two seasons of an entirely opposite 

 character being respectively'' regulated, as ib would seem, by a 

 succession of winds of equally opposite character. * We must 

 remember, however, that Avhile tracing such connection between 

 winds and seasons, we are led no further back than to the 

 proMmati cause of the great diversity that appears in the seasons 



* Since the above was written, and this paper read, an article has appeared 

 in " Nature " (Vol xxi, p. 131), headed " The Climate of England," in which 

 the author rightly calls public attention to the importance of determining " he 

 prevalent set of the aerial currents" before attempting anything "like a 

 forecast of winter or summer weather." He says — " If we ask why the four 

 or five winters preceding the last severe one were so exceptionally mild, the 

 proximate answer is that during the months when the sun's power continued 

 low, we enjoyed a succession of south-westerly winds which tempered ' winter's 

 flaw.' Last year, on the contrary, the wind kept early and persistently to the 

 northerly and easterly quarters; and were proper tables available, I believe 

 that an abnormal prevalence of those Polar currents would be shown to have 

 marked the late seasons of this most exceptional year." 



