Meteorological Observations. 159 



the surface are so many cones projecting outwards ; it is these elon- 

 gated cells that give the organ its Telvet-like appearance. But these 

 cells, although presenting the disposition of the epidermal cells of 

 some velvet-like flovrers, and offering stomata here and there, do 

 not form a true epidermis ; they form, if I may so express myself, 

 an epidermis in a rudimentary state, for there is no cuticle, unless 

 close to the base of the inflated portion, or certainly from the basal 

 third to the apex. From this fact, it is easy to understand how, as 

 was remarked by M. Ad. Brongniart, the heat is greater in this part 

 than anywhere else, since the air acts upon an almost naked tissue, 

 which can absorb it without any obstacle." — Ann. des Sciences Na- 

 turelles, 3rd Ser. xvi. p. 250. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR DEC. 1853. 



Chiswick. — December 1. Overcast: rain. 2. Overcast. 3. Fine. 4,5. Densely 

 clouded. 6. Overcast. 7. Rain. 8. Foggy : rain : clear at night. 9. Clear and 

 fine. 10. Low clouds : rain : densely overcast. 11. Exceedingly fine. 12. Fine: 

 overcast : rain. 13. Rain : uniformly overcast. 14. Cloudy : clear at night : rain. 

 15. Rain : cloudy : clear. 16. Clear : fine, with sun : thunder, lightning and 

 heavy rain at night. 17. Partially overcast : fine: boisterous, with lightning at 

 night. 18. Clear and fine : extensive and sudden rise of barometer. 19. Slight 

 rain : overcast. 20. Fine : densely clouded : clear at night. 21. Exceedingly fine. 



22. Overcast : rain. 23. Overcast. 24. Rain : drizzly : overcast. 25. Very fine: 

 overcast. 26. Fine : very fine : boisterous, at times quite a hurricane at night. 

 27. Very boisterous : large white clouds : clear at night. 28. Clear and fine. 

 29. Fine : overcast. 30. Overcast : fine : clear. 31. Very fine. 



Mean temperature of the month 46°'54 



Mean temperature of Dec. 1851 38 -88 



Mean temperature of Dec. for the last twenty-six years ... 39 '69 

 Average amount of rain in Dec l"52inches. 



Boston. — ^Dec. 1. Fine : rain p.m. 2. Fine. 3. Fine : rain p.m. 4. Cloudy, 

 rain A.M. 5. Cloudy. 6,7. Cloudy: rain a.m. 8. Cloudy: rain a.m. and p.m. 

 9. Fine : rain P.M. 10. Cloudy : rain a.m. 11. Fine. 12. Cloudy. 13. Cloudy : 

 rain A.M. and P.M. 14. Fine. 15. Cloudy : rain a.m. 16. Fine : rain p.m. 17, 

 18. Fine. 19. Cloudy : rain a.m. 20, 21 . Cloudy. 22. Cloudy : rain a.m. and p.m. 



23. Fine. 24. Cloudy. 25. Fine : rain a.m. 26. Fine. 27. Fine : rain and 

 stormy a.m. 28. Fine. 29. Cloudy. 30. Cloudy : rain a.m. 31. Fine. 



Sandwick Manse, Orkney. — Dec. 1. Showers a.m. and p.m. 2. Showers a.m. : 

 showers, aurora p.m. 3. Bright a.m. : cloudy, aurora p.m. 4. Damp a.m. ; 

 cloudy p.m. 5. Showers a.m. : showers, aurora p.m. 6. Rain a.m. : showers, 

 aurora p.m. 7. Bright a.m. : clear, aurora p.m. 8. Cloudy a.m. and p.m. 9. 

 Cloudy a.m. : clear p.m. 10. Rain a.m. : showers, aurora p.m. 11. Showers a.m. : 

 rain p.m. 12. Drizzle a.m. : cloudy p.m. 13. Clear, frost a.m. : clear, aurora p.m. 

 14. Bright, frost a.m. : drizzle p.m. 15. Damp a.m. : clear p.m. 16. Clear, 

 frost A.M. : drizzle P.M. 17. Sleet-showers a.m. and p.m. 18. Cloudy, frost a.m. 

 and P.M. 19. Lightning, rain a.m. : cloudy p.m. 20. Cloudy a.m. and p.m. 

 21. Cloudy A.M. : snow-showers p.m. 22. Clear, frost a.m. : cloudy p.m. 23. 

 Clear a.m. and p.m. 24. Cloudy a.m. : showers p.m. 25. Cloudy a.m. : sleet- 

 showers P.M. 26. Bright a.m. : hazy p.m. 27. Cloudy a.m. : drizzle p.m. 28. 

 Showers a.m. ; fine p.m. 29. Cloudy a.m. : shower p.m. 30. Drops a.m. : 

 shower p.m. 31. Showers a.m. : showers, thunder and lightning p.m. 



Mean temperature of Dec. for twenty-five years 41°"20 



Mean temperature of this month 40*74 



Average quantity of rain in Dec. for six previous years 3 86 inches. 



