n<l THK WEATHRR OF FKBRUARY. 



Only some four or six frosts occurred, and it appears that snow 

 (min<»led with rain) fell only during the depression of the 15th. Some 

 hail fell in the Chnrnet Valley at that time. The barometer again ran 

 high on the 20th, and a deep depression crossed on the 27th, bringing in 

 some places nearly two-thirds of the total rainfall of the month. The 

 mean amount of cloud was about 8'') (scale — 10), and the mean relative 

 humidity about 00 per cent. South-south-westerly winds prevailed. 

 The Solar radiation thermometer, black bulb //( vacuo, registered 104-7 

 on the 17th, and the terrestrial radiation instrument 17"2 on the 2nd, 

 both extremes occurring at Asjiley Guise. Total duration of sunshine 

 44 hours at Strelley, 47 tit Aspley Guise, and 41 at Oxford. At 

 Blackpool ozone was registered on 21 days, and the average amount 

 was 'i-'d, the mean at Carmarthen was 4-0. and nt Oxford only O'C). 

 Mean temperature of the soil at Strelley 40'0, at a depth of one foot. 

 Sea temperature at Scarborough 42-8, or about two degrees warmer 

 than the average of the previous live years. 



Notes by Obsekvehs. — Dennia. —So mild throughout that snowdrops, 

 crocuses, violets, walltiowers, pansies, etc., have been blooming from 

 the beginning of the month. Burton. — 18th, Hazel catkins numerous ; 

 common elder in leaf. 19th, Gorse in flower. 20th, Celandine in 

 flower. 23rd, Cuckoo actually heard at Eolleston. 21st, Black cur- 

 rant in leaf. 25th, Lark, thrush, etc., in full song, and most birds 

 building. 28th, Rhubarb and gooseberry in leaf. Ke)iilu-ortli. — 8th, 

 Catkins on nut trees. 10th, Gooseberry and black currants shooting. 

 14th, Gathered smgle wild daffodil. 19th, ,SV(//.r in blossom. 24th, 

 Gathered double daffodil in garden. 20th, Red currants and rasp- 

 berries shooting, and elms budding. ClieUenliam. — Honeysuckle leaves 

 well expanded at the close, and violets in full bloom. 



(iTorrfspnknfr. 



Pkimula Vulgaris. — If the stigma and pollen of Primula vulparis 

 are inicroscopically examined, say with a power of about seventy 

 diametei's, certain marked characters will be noticed. As is well 

 known, there ai'e two forms of Primula ruh/aris — (1), in which 

 the anthers are situated at the top of the coi'olla tube, and the 

 stigma occurs about half-way up the corolla tube ; (2), in which 

 the anthers occur about half-way up the corolla tube, and the 

 stigma is found at the top of the corolla tube. The first form is 

 called the rose-centred form, the second is called the pin-centred 

 form. If the pollen of the rose-centred form (1) is examined microscopi- 

 cally it will be found to be twicethesizeof that of the pin-centred form (2); 

 and if the stigma of form |1) is examined it will be seen to be covered 

 by very slight elevations or is what may be termed papillate, whilst the 

 stigma of form (2) will be found to be covered by a thick coating of 

 longish hair-like processes. These differences, I find, are also to be seen 

 in the two forms of the cowslip, and in the two forms of the polyan- 

 thus. I find also that the form (1) has its stigma invariably dusted 

 with its own pollen ; out of all the specimens examined during the 

 past ten years I have never seen the pollen of the form (2) on the 

 stigma of form (1). The stigma of form (2) I have invariably found 

 dusted with the pollen of form (1). It would be interesting to note 

 which of the two forms produces most seeds, form (1), which I have always 

 found sslf-fertilised, or form (2), which appears to be always cross- 

 fertilised. — J. K. Baoxali., 



