X. — Phexological Observations made at several Stations 

 IN Nova Scotia and New Brunswick during the year 

 1893. — Compiled by A. H. Mackay, LL. D., Halifax. 



(Bead 14th May, 1894.) 



The observations recorded in the following tables are not any 

 more complete than those of last year ; but the stations of ob- 

 servation are more numerous, includingf the Province of New 

 Brunswick as well as Nova Scotia. These tables do not represent 

 all the work of the observers it must be noted, for the list of 

 each was more extensive than it appears here. The observer at 

 Kentville, for instance, made no less than 270 observations of the 

 earliest dates of the flowering of plants, while the observer at 

 Yarmouth made also a very large number in excess of those 

 credited in the tabulation. The tables take those which the 

 various observers had most in common. It is hoped that from 

 year to year the number of observations of species common to 

 all the stations will increase, especially as a common list has for 

 next year been mailed each. 



In the smaller table the experiment of averaging the dates for 

 the last two years has been shown, not as something of scientific 

 value, but as indicating the process by which a normal date can 

 be worked out for each station and also for a province or any 

 other district. In such a system of averaging it will be seen at 

 once that it is necessary in order to find a normal date for the 

 first flowering of plants or the first appearance of migratory 

 birds for the two provinces, that we should have the several 

 stations equally distributed over the territory, as well as the 

 observations accurately made. 



The two year normal thus worked out below is only a very 

 rude approximation to a true normal. But the figures upon 

 which it is based, few as they are, are recorded, and can if neces- 

 sary be worked into a truer normal when desirable, by giving 

 to stations a proper modulus. It is hoped, however, that in 

 a few years there may be so full an accumulation of such 



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