ON THE METEOROLOGY OF BIRMINGHAM. 297. 
Observations on the Meteorology of Birmingham. 
By Wiuu1aM Wits, Esq., F.G.S. 
THE accompanying Tables have been compiled from a Meteorological 
Register kept at the Birmingham Philosophical Institution. 
The observations for temperature, pressure, rain and wind, extend over a 
period of eight years, from 1837 to 1844 inclusive. The dew-point tables 
embrace a period of five years, from 1838 to 1842 inclusive ; and the evapo- 
ration tables the two years of 1843 and 1844 only. The whole of these 
observations, with the exception of those for the four months from August 
to November 1844, were made by the late Dr. Ick, the Curator of that 
Institution, whose accuracy as an observer is well known; the observations 
for the excepted months were made by a gentleman who acted as his sub- 
stitute during his last illness, and continued to do so for a short time after 
his death, and as they bear internal marks of care and accuracy, I have not 
hesitated to ineorporate them with those of Dr. Ick. 
This Register came into my possession during an official connection with - 
the above-mentioned Institution, and from the care with which it appeared 
to have been kept, the long period over which it extends, and the importance 
of Birmingham as a meteorological station, it occurred to me that a reduction 
of the recorded observations was likely to repay the necessary labour, and 
that the results would probably form an acceptable contribution to this de- 
partment of knowledge; and the rather so, that with the exception of Mr. 
Osler’s papers on the winds, contained in the Reports of the Association, 
I am not aware of the existence of any long-continued series of trustworthy 
observations on the Meteorology of Birmingham. 
I will briefly notice the subjects of these observations, and recapitulate 
their chief results. 
1. Temperature (Tables I. ty VII.).—The instruments were placed in the 
shade, for the first two years 43 feet, and subsequently about 38 feet above: 
the ground, and about 437 and 470 feet respectively above the mean level 
of the sea, the place of suspension being nearly in the centre of the town of 
Birmingham. In consequence of breakages, the same instruments were not 
employed throughout the whole series of observations, so that it has not been 
possible to submit them to verification. The self-registering thermometer 
was of Rutherford’s construction. 
The mean monthly and annual temperatures are deduced in Tables I., II, 
III.,—first, from continuous daily observations at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. local 
time ; secondly, from the highest and lowest daily markings of the self-regis- 
tering thermometer ; and thirdly, from the highest and lowest annual indica- 
tions of the same instrument. 
The mean annual temperature for eight years, as deduced,— 
Ist. From the daily observations at 9 a.m. and 3 P.M.,is........ 49°90 
2nd. From the highest and lowest daily observations of the self- 
registering thermometer....... so SATE, dL See ike PRR eases’ AO*17 
3rd. From the highest and lowest yearly observations of the self- 
registering thermometer........... babys hh REISE 50°00 
4th. The mean temperature of the five years, from 1838 to 1842 
inclusive (see Table XXI.), which excludes the year 1837 
and the unusually warm years 1843 and 1844, is........ 49°694 
Of these amounts some portion is doubtless due to the great number of 
our manufacturing and domestic fires. 
In Table IV. is shown the distribution of the temperature through the 
several meteorological seasons, with the differences from the mean. 
