PHENOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 1902.^ — MACKAV. 145 



Nova Scotian Phenochrons. 



As these are based on about 350 schedules, it \Yill be observed 

 that, as a rule, a good many schedules are averaoed for each of 

 tile ten meteorological or biological regions of the province. 

 The individual schedules are annually bound up into a volume 

 which can be utilized by weatlier students in the future with 

 e\'ery facility. - There are already a number of such volumes in 

 existence. And tliose of the last years have, to a considerable 

 extent, been analyzed and compiled by a staff of specialists so 

 as to give the phenochrons of the coast, lowland and highland 

 belts of each county. These sheets are likewise being bound up 

 in annual volumes. The Nova Scotian table published here is 

 merely the most generalized average of averages. 



A close .study of the tables showing individual observations, 

 will create the impression that observers are not always in a 

 position to note the phenomena of the seasons when they first 

 appear. In this respect the observations conducted by the 

 public schools are more accurate. For they are made by a large 

 number of individuals travelling nearly every day to school and 

 i-adiating from this central point of the community for a dis- 

 tance generally of about two miles. x\s the teachers stimulate 

 "observing " by noting the first one who brings evidence of the 

 first appearance of a flower, etc., there is a great deal of com- 

 petitive observation on the part of the young people. This not 

 only makes the travelling to and from school more interesting : 

 but is found to be a great aid to general " nature study." 

 Accuracy is assured by the bringing of the specimen to the 

 school room when practicable. 



But even in schools mistakes may occur through accident in 

 recordincj, and sometimes from lack of sufficient knowledo-e of 

 the natural history of the locality. In order to discover such 

 mistakes, and to enable directions to be framed in order to 

 minimize them, as well as for the purpose of studying and com- 

 piling regional phenochrons, the observation schedules filled in 

 by the teacher of each school is sent to one of a staff' of special- 



