NOTES ON THE WEATHER, FOR DECEMBER, 1867. 
{Compiled in the Department of Agriculture, from reports of observers for the Smithsonian 
Institution, } 
Gardiner, Me.—The mean temperature of this month for thirty-one years is 
22°; this year the first twenty days was only 13.5°, and of the month only 
18.22°. No December so cold since 1559, and but five on record as cold as the 
present. 
West Waterville, Me—The first fourteen days the coldest for December in 
twelve years. The day following the great storm of Washington to Boston, 
(12th,) the clouds threatened, but it was “too cold to snow.” 
Lisbon, Me.—Month cold and uncomfortable ; thawed in the sun on only three 
days, yet the ground was frozen only six inches deep on the 15th, whereas it 
is usually sixteen to eighteen inches. 
Stratford, N. H—Coldest December in ten years by 4°. 
Lunenburg, Vt-—A cold but pleasant month. 18th, 3 a. m.—Harthquake felt 
in three distinct waves, passing from south to north, and lasting about thirty 
seconds. 
Middlebury, Vt—1S8th, 3 a.m.—Several shocks of earthquake, at intervals of 
three or four seconds, the whole lasting about twenty seconds. A person 
sleeping with the head to the south was rolled toward the east by it. From 
the papers it appears to have been more severe north of this, and in Canada. 
Kingston, Mass.—A very cold month—5° colder than m 1866. From 12th 
to 16th almost incessant snows. 
Kingston, Mass.—No sleighing till 17th, and not much wheeling since; yet 
not much snow at any time. Ponds, wells, &c., lower than usual. 
Mendon, Mass.—''en days’ poor sleighing during the month. 
Williams College, Mass.—WNo sleighing during the month 
Pomfret, Ct—The coldest December in fifteen years. The last half was 
considerably warmer than the first. 
Middletown, Ct.—The river closed with ice on the 9th. 
Colebrook, Ct.—¥Frequent snow squalls during the month, but not more than 
four inches fell at any time. 
South Hartford, N. Y—Champlain canal closed on the 5th. Lake Cham- 
plain crossed by teams, from Grand Isle to Plattsburg,.on the 18th—said to be 
the earliest on record. Several shocks of earthquake felt at 3 a.m. on 18th— 
a heavy jar, with a low rumbling noise. In Ogdensburg it was quite violent, 
shaking the firmest buildings, and lasting about two minutes; in Burlington 
lasting about thirty seconds; in Whitehall two distinct shocks, lasting about 
twenty seconds each, with an interval of about a minute between. At Fort 
Ann a house was shaken so violently that the door bell rang. It was felt in 
Fair Haven, Rutland, Dresden and Sandy Hill. The month was cold and 
dreary-—little sleighing—the ground frozen to a great depth—springs and 
_ streams very low. 
Troy, N. Y.—A slight shock of an earthquake reported in this city on the 
18th, at 3.a.m. It was sensibly felt in Albany. ‘he mean temperature of 
December lower than in any December in eleven years, and the amount of rainand 
melted snow the least since 1861. 
Gouverneur, N. Y—Farthquake on 18th, about 3 a. m., accompanied by a 
loud, roaring and rushing noise; vibrations regular. distinct, and about six in a 
second. ‘Two fainter shocks followed at intervals of a few minutes, and a fourth 
was felt at 6 a.m. The vibrations seemed to be from northwest to southeast, 
while the shocks seemed to pass eastward. The shocks succeeding the first 
were felt rather than heard. 
North Hammond, N. Y.—On the 18th, at 2.50 a. m., an earthquake—there 
