TRANSACTIONS. 109 
nearly 2°, so that on the whole we have had during the past year 
mild and open weather during the winter months, the greater part 
of February being excepted, with a cold and backward spring in 
March and April (deficiency of temperature for the two months, 
74°); but as there was almost no frost in May, with a more than 
average supply of inoisture, vegetation made considerable progress 
in that month, and though the exceptionally cold and wet weather 
of the succeeding months greatly retarded the ripening process, 
things were kept green and growing, and with a favourable 
September and October an abundant harvest was at last gathered 
in. 
Rainfall—The heaviest fall of rain within 24 hours was 
recorded on the 22d July, when 1°20 in. was registered. The wettest 
month of the year was November, with a fall of 6°52 in., more than 
2 in. above the average ; and July came next with a fall of 6-22 in., 
more than double the average for the month. In November there 
were 22 days on which rain fell, 20 of them consecutive ; and in 
July 24 days, the greatest number of any month in the year. 
Though these were the rainiest months of 1888, there was a great 
difference in their character. The cause of the excessive rainfall 
in November was a series of cyclones coming from the Atlantic, 
with strong southerly, south-westerly, and westerly winds, after the 
first week, and a temperature much above the average for the season ; 
whereas in July the prevailing winds were more from the east and 
north, and the temperature greatly below what is usual in that 
month. The total number of days in which rain or snow fell was 
195 (rain, 186, snow, 9—mostly slight falls) as compared with 181 
last year. The total rainfall for the year was 35-91 in., as com- 
pared with 30-99 in. in 1887 and 41:13 in. in 1886. The average 
rainfall at Cargen for the last 28 years, as reported by Mr Dudgeon, 
is 44°67 in. I have observed, however, from Mr Dudgeon’s 
monthly reports that the rainfall at Cargen almost invariably 
exceeds that at Dumfries, probably from its greater proximity to 
Criffel, so that the mean annual rainfall here may with probability 
be estimated at 40 or 41 in. rather than 44 in. This would still 
leave a deficiency in the past year of 4 to 5 in., though we might 
naturally have the impression that it has been a peculiarly rainy 
year, But it is to be observed that, although the rainfall of July 
and November and in some degree also of December, was much 
above the average, that of most of the other months was below it, 
January, February, April, September, and October having been 
