28 TRANSACTIONS. 
If there be cursing, swearing, scolding, and drunkenness in any of 
the families. (7) If any absent themselves from public worship, 
and who they are, and to exhort to keep the Thursday’s sermon 
and Presbytery’s exercises. (8) If there be any servants brought 
in, and if they have testimonies from the places they come from. 
(9) If there be any idle persons in families, and profane persons 
brewing. (10) That none of whatsoever condition be found 
drinking on the Lord’s Day in taverns or ale-houses. (11) That 
no scandalous person coming from elsewhere be permitted to 
enter this burgh. 
Il. The Meteorology of the Dumfries District in 1887. By the 
Rev. WILLIAM ANDSON, of Kirkmahoe. 
It may be right to give an explanation here respecting the 
instruments used in taking the observations which are recorded in 
the subjoined table. For the first three months of the year a 
common standard barometer, with Vernier scale to measure tenths 
and hundredths of an inch, was used. It was considered fairly 
reliable, though it had not been scientifically tested. But in the 
beginning of April it was replaced by a new one, made by 
Adie & Wedderburn, of Edinburgh, with Vernier to measure to 
two thousand parts of an inch, which had been tested in the office 
of the Scottish Meteorological Society, and was recommended by 
Dr Buchan, the secretary of that society. During the first two 
months of 1887, the temperature observations were taken from a 
Self-registering Sixe Thormometer, kept in the shade, but not pro- 
tected. But since early in March last two thermometers have 
been used—a Philip’s Self-registering Maximum (mercurial) and a 
Rutherford’s Minimum (spirit)—both certified at Kew, and placed 
in a Stevenson box or screen, four feet above the grass in an open 
garden space. The rain guage is a Glaisher’s, of 5 in. diameter, 
with the mouth raised 10 in. above the grass. The observations 
of the barometer are taken twice a day, at 9 A.M. and 9 P.M. 
Those of the maximum and minimum thermometer are taken at 9 
p.M. for the previous 24 hours ; and the rainfall every morning at 
nine for the same period. The direction of the wind is taken at 1 
p.M., mostly from the vane of the Midsteeple. The instruments 
were inspected in September last by Dr Buchan, and on being 
compared with his standard ones were found to be extremely 
accurate. 
= 
