47 



diately after. The wind, which had previously been north- 

 east, shifted on the 12th to south-west, the temperature rose 

 and passed above the average, and there were very few days 

 afterwards when it again fell below it. Mr. Glaisher states 

 that " the average excess of temperature in the 80 days ending 

 31st March was rather more than 3^" daily : the excess for 

 the 91 days ending SOth June was 3".l, and for the 171 days 

 (from January 12th to June SOth) the average daily tempera- 

 ture was more than 3^" in excess."* This, of course, was as 

 observed at Greenwich, and does not necessarily apply to 

 Bath, where we have not yet sufficient data for ascertaining 

 what the true average temperature of each month is. It may 

 be desirable, nevertheless, to give the general character of the 

 weather here, compared with Greenwich, from February to 

 July, when the hot weather culminated, and which month 

 will call for more detailed remarks. 



The months of February and March were both very mild ; 

 February more Hke spring than winter, having a mean tem- 

 perature at Greenwich of more than 4^" above the average, and 

 March one of more than 3" above it. 



At Bath, the mean temperature of February was about the 

 same as at Greenwich, but that of March nearly one degree 

 higher. As already observed, there was a great deficiency 

 during both these months of the ordinary east winds, and 

 winds compounded of easterly ; south to west and west to 

 north winds being greatly in preponderance, and serving to 

 account for the unusually high temperature for the time of 

 year, whereby all vegetation advanced with great rapidity, 

 the buds of many trees and shrubs swelling, and some putting 

 out their leaves, at a very early date. 



April was warm, and the temperature above the average, 

 but owing to the wind being more often northerly, not so 



*"Reg. Gen. Reports," No, 77, p. 19, and No. 78, p. 19. 



