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Transactions. 53 
mean temperature of the year, taken as a whole, would have been 
decidedly under average, but these backward influences were so 
far compensated by the mildness of January and March, and the 
unusual warmth which characterised the end of May and the 
whole of September, along with a considerable part of October, 
that the annual mean (47°8 degs.) is higher than that of the 
previous four years, with the exception of 1889, when it was 48:1 
degs. In 1888 it was 46-5 degs.; in 1887, 47-2 degs.; and in 
1886, 46:2 degs. A comparison of the mean annual maximaand 
minima of 1889 and 1890 shows that the higher mean tempera- 
ture of the former year was due to an excess in the day tempera- 
tures—for while the annual minimum is the same for each year 
—viz., 40-9 degs., the annual maximum is for 1889, 55-1 degs. ; 
and for 1890, only 54:4 degs. Over Scotland generally there 
seems to have been a slight excess of warmth over the average ; 
but in England, especially in its southern and south-eastern dis- 
tricts, there appears from the reports that have been issued to 
have been a deficiency. 
Rainfall_—The total rainfall of the year was 35:72 inches, as 
compared with 35°17 inches in 1889, 35-91 inches in 1888, 30-99 
inches in 1887, and 40°13 inches in 1886. The heaviest in 24 
hours was on 6th November, when the gauge registered 2:17 
inches. The rainiest months were January and November—the 
former with a record of 5°32 inches, which fell in 25 days, and the 
latter of 6-93 inches, spread over 22 days. June and July were 
also remarkable for the number of days in which rain fell—22 
in each ; but the amount was not much in excess of what is usual 
in these months, at least as far as July is concerned. Both 
months were characterised by cloudy skies and frequent showers, 
with consequent low temperature; but there were few heavy 
downpours of rain, such as frequently occur in the summer 
months. The driest months were February and December, with 
a record of less than one inch for each—February 0-86 in., 
December 0°97 in. It is worthy of remark that the whole rain- 
fall of these two months—viz., 1‘83 inches— was less than the 
amount which fell on the single day in November before referred 
to, when 2°17 inches were recorded. The total number of days 
in the year on which rain fell was 208, as compared with 202 in 
1889, 195 in 1888, and 181 in 1887. There was a remarkable 
absence of snowfall during the year. Only once or twice was 
