REVIEWS METEOROLOGY. 277 



Iclitln/otiaurits, and other prominent fossil animals ; and it ^ivcs a brief 

 account of some of the characteristic genera represented in the cases 

 of the Museum. Thus, in reference to the Beaver, the following 

 remarks are made on p. 1-1 : — " The Beaver is not only widely spread 

 at present, but its fossil renuiins prove it to have had an equally wide 

 distribution in the past. It was once abundant in this country, as, 

 for instance, iu the valley of the Lea, near London, and in the (Cam- 

 bridgeshire Fens. It is still found living in some of the rivers of 

 Russia, and also in those of North America. A far larger species of 

 beaver, called ;/Vo;/()H^/«';'/)/»(, once inhabited Norfolk, whei'e its remains 

 have been found in the Ci'omer Forest-bed. A still more gigantic 

 form, the Cufttowidex Oltioensif, is represented by a cast of the skull 

 aud lower jaw, from the Post-Tertiary of North America." Again (ou 

 p. 51) we are informed that " In Wall-cases 5 and (3 are placed the 

 curious shells called llippttritcs, allied to the existing Cliamas. They 

 probably lived clustered in coral-reefs, like their modern representa- 

 tives. They are seldom met with in the Cretaceous rocks of this 

 country, but the ' Hippurite Limestone ' is largely developed on the 

 Continent, in France, Spain, and Italy ; it also occurs in the East and 

 West Indies." Such a Guide must add largely to the educational value 

 of the Museum. Its price is threepence. 



METEOROLOGY OF THE MIDLANDS. 



BY CLEMENT L. WRAGGE, F.R.G.S., F.M.S., ETC. 



THE WEATHER OF OCTOBER, 1882. 



The same general report from our stations; — a month of atmos- 

 pheric disturbance, dull aud gloomy, with constant rain and some fog. 

 At Orleion the rainfall was more than double the average, and at 

 Henley-in-Arden the fall was "the greatest registered, with the 

 exception of 1875." The highest reading of the barometer took place 

 ou the 5th, and was 30'555, the lowest occurred on the 21th, and was 

 about 2i)'072 (corrected and reduced mean values for Central England). 

 The great storm and barometric depression that came up suddenly 

 from the Bay of Biscay on the early morning of the 21th, and succeed- 

 ing floods, will long be remembered. The "greatest fall" occurred 

 generally at this time, accompanied at some stations by hail and 

 heavy snow. At Spondon the snow was "sufficient to break down 

 laburnum trees." Mean temperature was about iS'U, amount of cloud 

 7"5 (scale to 10) and relative humidity 92%, these being means for 

 the Midland District deduced from values furnished by geographically 

 selected stations. North-easterly and southerly winds were fre(juent. 

 The absolute maximum temperature (reported) in sun's rays was 117"9, 

 and took place on the 1st at Hodsock; absolute mininum on grass 22-1, 

 on 26th, at Oxford. Bright sunshine 7-l'7 hours at Hodsock, ()1"5 at 

 Strelley, or li)% of possible duration, 70- at Oxford, and 67'7 hours at 

 Blackpool. The mean teniperature of the soil at a depth of 1ft. was ol-fi 

 at Hodsock, 49'6 at Strelley, and .IH-o at Cardiff. The mean amount of 

 ozone was 1*0 at Oxford, H-y at Cheltenham, -iS at Carmartlieii, and 

 4-2 at Blackpool (scale to 10). Mean sea temperature at Scarborough 

 53-9, or 2-5 degrees above previous 5 years' average. Displays of 

 aurora on 2nd and 14th. Lightning on 8th, 20tli, and 22nd. Lunar 

 halo on 20th and 24th. Heavy snow fell on Ben Nevis during the last 

 part of the month, and the work of observiug on the mountain was 

 carried on witli much difliculty. The great comet was well observed 

 throughout the country. 



