TBANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 



23 



The following is the acceptable Meteorological Register from Dr. Blest of the 

 Madras Medical Service, which he prefaces by a quotation from an official Report 

 made by Dr. Baikie : — 



" Temperature. — The temperature of Coorg is one of the most moderate and 

 equable in the world, the daily range in doors never exceeding 6° or 8°, often not 

 beyond 2°, and the thermometer seldom rising higher than 74°, nor sinking below 

 CO , in the open air. The range is a little higher during the dry season, the daily ex- 

 tremes being between 52° or 53°, and 68° or 70° ; the annual extremes are probably 

 52° and 82°. The want of a maximum and minimum thermometer prevents my even 

 guessing at the mean annual temperature, but it cannot exceed 65° or 66°. 



" Pressure. — The maximum of the barometer occurs during the dry season, the 

 highest noted being 26*220, and the lowest in July during the monsoon 25-912. The 

 greatest daily range observed was "076 ; the mean daily range (which is very regular) 

 •050. The diurnal maximum occurs at 10 a.m., the minimum at 5 p.m., with such re- 

 gularity that I have often detected an error in the supposed time by looking at the 

 barometer at these hours. The barometer appears to offer no indication whatever of 

 approaching changes of weather, and I have not been able to detect any influence of 

 the lunar phases on it. 



" Moisture. — The hygrometrical state of the atmosphere during half the year is 

 that of extreme moisture, closely approaching to saturation. During the dry season it 

 is occasionally very dry, and sometimes undergoes most remarkable difference to the 

 eye or feelings." — Extract from Dr. Baikie's Report. 



The above, in reference to temperature, Dr. Blest observes, differs somewhat from 

 the result of his observations, owing to greater exposure of his instruments, which 

 were self-registering thermometers. According to Dr. Blest the following are the 

 results of three years' observations : — 



Annual mean maximum 76 0, 4 



Annual mean minimum 60 *8 



Annual mean temperature 68 '6 



Annual mean diurnal range 15 - 6 



Monthly Abstract of the daily Meteorological Register kept at Merkara*, in Coorg — 

 the mean for three years, 1838, 1839, and 1840. 



* N.B. The instruments (with the exception of Pluviometers) were kept in the outer re- 

 cess of a window in the north side of Merkara Palace, and perfectly exposed to the open air, 

 while protected from glare. 



