24 Mr. J. Bktce on the Low Temperatures 



January, and continued of extreme severity till the end of February. 

 From that date till the 6th of April, the temperatures were somewhat 

 higher, but still very much lower than usual in the spring months. 

 Partial thaws, with slight elevation of temperature, and very little rain 

 occurred on the 19th and 20th January ; on the 3d, 4th, 5th, and 

 24th February ; and again on the 1st, 2d, 12th, and 13th March. With 

 these exceptions, at Glasgow, and most of the other stations, there was 

 continuous frost, with occasional shght snow-falls, throughout the period. 

 The details will be seen in the accompanying tables. These do not, 

 however, give the complete registers at all the stations. Oui* inquiries 

 having been chiefly directed to the subject of temperature, complete 

 registers were not asked for ; and besides, their insertion would have 

 made the tables very cumbrous. For the returns received we have to 

 express our grateful thanks to the following gentlemen : — Alexander 

 SmoUett, Esq., M.P., Cameron House, near Bonhill, Dumbarton ; Sir 

 James Matheson, Bart., M.P., Stornoway Castle, and the Rev. James 

 Gunn, minister of Cross, Stornoway ; E. J. Bedford, Esq., R.N., Manor 

 House, Oban ; J. W. Melville, Esq., Mount Melville, and Alexander 

 Watson Wemyss, Esq., Denbrae House, by St. Andrews ; J. B. Neilson, 

 Esq., Queen's Hill, Stewartou, Kirkcudbright ; WiUiam Miller, Esq., 

 Eastwood Hill, near Mearns, county of Renfrew ; Professor Nichol, 

 College Observatory, Queenston, Glasgow ; Professor Ferguson, King's 

 College, Aberdeen ; Professor C. Piazzi Smyth, Edinburgh ; Mr. 

 George Berry, Dalvey Gardens, Morayshire ; Mr. Clark, Botanic 

 Garden, Glasgow ; Professor Dickie, Queen's College, Belfast. Of the 

 Committee, Mr. Robert Hart, Cessnock Park, Govan ; Mr. Thomas 

 R. Gai'dner, Ibroxholm, two miles west of Glasgow ; and the author 

 of this Report, have furnished their registers. That of the author is 

 kept on the north-west boundary of the city, yet exposed to influences 

 tending to elevate the temperature, as will be seen by the higher read- 

 ings of the thermometer. The temperatures at Sandwick, Orkney, are 

 taken from the well known register, published each month, for many 

 years past, in Tlie Philosophical Mayazine and Journal of Science (vol. 

 ix., 4th Series, Januaiy to June, 1855) ; those at Edinburgh and Orton 

 Hall, near Peterborough, Yorkshu'e, from The Scottish Gardener and 

 Jov/mai of Horticvlture (vol. iv., 1855), — the registers at these places 

 being kept by Mr. Macnab of the Botanic Garden, and Mr. Jolin Reid. 

 One unavoidable defect of the tabulated results has been already 

 alluded to — the want, namely, of previous inter-comparison of the instru- 

 ments. Another arises from the circumstance that some of the columns 

 give the maxima and minima temperatures, and others those at the 

 hours now usually regarded as the mean lixywrs. The numbers in these 



