70 



In March, there was a remarkably sudden fall in the temperature of 

 the air, viz. : from 29° on the 3rd to 14° on the 4th. The frost oe that 

 day was the severest that had been experienced in the memory of " the 

 oldest inhabitant," and told hard on water pipes and shrubs. On the 

 same dates, the temperature of the river Stour was 37° and 36°, a 

 difference of 1° only, while that of the air was 15°. 



The severe frost did not last long, for, on the following morning, 

 viz. : the 5th, the temperature of the air rose to 38°. 3, and that of the water 

 was 38°, or only 2° higher than it was on the 4th. Further instancesof the 

 rapid rise in the air temperature as compand with that of the water are 

 observable in the observations taken on the 6th, 7th and 8th of March. 

 And again on the 9th, a rapid fall of the air occurred, and little or none 

 in the water temperature, wind N.W. and weather fine. 



Observations were omitted in April, May and June, as the observer 

 was not furnished with a book to enter them in. In the month of July, 

 the temperature of the air usually exceeded that of the water, as it 

 might be expected it would. The highest air temperature was 71° on 

 the I7th, and that of the water, 62°, difference, 9°. The lowest air 

 temperature, 559, and that of water on the same date, viz. : 1 1th, 57°, 

 difference, 2°. Wind generally westwardly, veering to N.W. and S.W, 

 with occasional showers, but generally fine. 



The same rule, as regards the relative temperatures of air and 

 water, applies to the observations taken in August and September, the 

 water being invariably the colder, though not more than 6° or 7° 

 difference, and often less, especially towards the end of each month. 



In October, a change is observable, the water being frequently the 

 warmer of the two, notably on the 22ud and 28th, when the difference 

 was 9° and 1 0° in favour of the water, with a cold easterly wind on the 

 former date, and N.W. on the latter. A further instance of the sudden 

 rise in the air temperature, as compared with that of the water, is seen 

 by comparing the observations taken on the 28th and 29th of this same 

 month. A warm S.W. wind caused the air temperature to rise 

 1 0°, while that of the water remained the same on both days. 



The same remarks are applicable to the month of November, the 

 water temperature being usually the higher of the two. The exceptions 

 will be seen in the observations of the 13th, 1 5th and 23rd. On each of 

 these dates there was a sudden rise of air temperature, and no 

 corresponding rise in that of water. The wind S.W., and the weather 

 dull and wet. The lowest air temperature in this month was on the 

 30th, viz. : 22°.5, water being at the time, 38°, differerence, 15°.5. 



December, 1890, was an i;nusually cold month, the thermometer 

 standing at or below fi'eeziog point for 20 out of 31 days. It opened with 

 14°.5 of frost on the 1st, on which date the water was 37°, or 19°. 5 

 warmer than the air. This state of things, however, did not last 

 long, for on the 4th, the temperature of the air was 4°.5 higher than 

 that of the water. As a rule, however, the water temperature was 



