28 



Mu. J. Betce on the Low Temperatures 



characters of a more insular climate, than is found at any of the 

 others. 



The fall of rain, as already remarked, was very inconsiderable during 

 the period, owing to the steadiness of the frosty weather. The returns 

 do not embrace this element except from a few of the stations ; and 

 these ai-e brought together in the following Table. For the sake of 

 comparison, we insert the amounts at Sandwick, Boston, and Chiswick, 

 and add also the month of May. The melted snow is included in the 

 Govan, Ibroxholm, and, we presume, in the other returns also : — 



TABLE OF RAIN-FALL. 



1855. 



January, .... 

 February,.... 



March, 



April, 



May, 



Regarding the rain-fall at Eastwood-hill, Mr. Miller observes, that it 

 is " not onlj'^ much less than at Glasgow, but much less than in any 

 other part of Scotland that he has heard of. In the corresponding 

 months of 185Ji, the fall was 12*20 inches, or about two and a-half times 

 as much." 



The following Table shows the monthly average of these several 

 months for a long series of years, and is inserted here for the sake of 

 comparison with the foregouig Table, as showing the superior dryness 

 of the early pai't of the year 1855 : — 



TABLE OF AVERAGE RAIN-FALLS. 



Very few observations on which any dependence can be placed have 

 been received in regard to the penetration of the frost of 1855 down- 

 wards into the soil. It was certainly considerable in many places ; for 

 in ground with a northerly aspect in the neighbourhood of Glasgow, 

 ten days to a fortnight elapsed after the breaking up of the frost on 

 the Gth of April, before the plough or spade could be emjdoyed to open 



