14 
falling on seven days in gentle showers. Prevailing winds, south-westerly ; 
very light. One drawback arose from the sudden drop in temperature 
towards its close, making a difference of 50 degs. between the hottest day and 
the coldest night—extremes which made it very trying for invalids. 
. OcroBeR.—A most remarkably mild month, 4-7 degs. above the average 
temperature, and having 11 days on which the temperature in the shade was 
over 60 degs., and 11 nights on which it did not fall below 50 degs. Fully 
half-an-inch more than the average rainfall took place, and it rained on an 
excessive number of days. This accounts for the large number of overcast 
days and the comparatively small average range of temperature. The winds 
were very variable and light, a rather remarkable circumstance considering 
the great range of pressure. October, 1886, was a very similar month. 
NoveMBER.—A mild month, 2-1 degs. above average temperature which 
would have been considerably higher but for the sudden drop on the third 
week, accompanied with a very heavy fall of snow for the season, about five 
or six inches having fallen in the early hours of the 24th. A little over half the 
average rainfall, making a deficiency of about 23} inches since the beginning 
of the year. Wind had the force of a gale on the 2nd. On three nights 
there were 10 degs, or more of frost on the ground. 
DECEMBER.—An exceptionally mild month, being 74 degs. above the 
average, Both the day and night temperatures are much higher than any-. 
thing we have had for the past twenty years. The rainfall was nearly } of 
an inch short of the monthly average, but the number of days on which 
rain fell was excessive. The annual rainfall is nearly 3} inches short of the 
average. There was more bright sunshine than for some years past, and the 
first week was very stormy ; no less than three gales from the West. On the 
whole, the month had much more of the characteristics of a spring month— 
such as April—than those of a December. 

EXPLANATIONS. 
The Barometer readings, taken at 9-0 a.m. and 9-0 p.m,, are corrected 
and reduced to sea-level and 32°0° Far. 
The Approximate Mean Temperature is the mean of the maximum and 
minimum read at 9-0 a.m., and found by multiplying their difference by the 
Meteorological Office co-efficient, and adding the product to the minimum. 
Temperature in Sun read at 9-0 a.m. and placed to previous day. 
: Ground Temperature read twice daily at 9-0 a.m. and 9-0 p.m. The 
lowest reading for the 24 hours, prior to 9-0 a.m., is entered to the previous 
day. 
Underground Temperatures taken daily at 9-o a.m. The air tempera- 
ture is given for purposes of comparison. 
The Relative Humidity is calculated by dividing the mean elastic force 
of Aqueous Vapour, at the temperature of the Dew Point (as determined by 
Glaisher’s Factors), by that corresponding to the temperatnre of the air (z.¢., 
the Dry-bulb reading.) 
The Rain is measured at 9-0 a.m, and the amount entered to the 
previous day. A fall of o:006 inch and above constitutes a day of rain. 
When any snow falls, the day is counted as a day of snow. 
When the mean of the 9-0 a.m. and 9-0 p.m. observations of the amount 
of cloud is less than 2:0, it is called a day of clear sky ; if the mean is above 
8-o an overcast day. 
When the force of the Wind is 7 and above (on Beaufort’s Scale o—12), 
it is accounted a Gale. 
Ozone read at 9-0 a.m. (according to Dr. Moffat’s Scale o—1tz2), and 
placed to previous day. 
