THE WEATHER OF MARCH. 135 



The " Eukydice " Squ-iiL. — Sunday, March 24t]a, 1878, will long be 

 remembered as the date of the capsizing of H.M.S. Eurydice, with, loss of 

 about 300 Uves, at foiir p.m., off Dunnose, on the east side of the Isle of 

 Wight. The violent but brief atmospheric distm-bance which was the 

 cause of this catastrophe appears to have advanced from the N.W., and 

 reached the north of England about ten a.m. Taking a south-easterly 

 conrse, snow began to fall at Leicester about 1 45, and was followed by a 

 strong gusty wind, but in an hour all was over. The barometer 

 here fell but httle, fi-om 29-599 at nine a.m., to 29-491 at 

 12 45, and 29-477 at nine p.m. The next morning showed 

 a marked recovery— 29-731. The following interesting notes will show 

 that the squall was of a more severe character in the West .Midlands. 

 The situation of the Eurj'dice — but a short distance to the S.E. of high 

 cliffs, behind which chalk downs rise to a height of 800 or 900 feet, will 

 sufficiently explain the way in which the squaU took the vessel by 

 surprise. The squall advancing from the N. W., the vessel was screened 

 from it until it bnrst down the steep slope of the land in full fury. 



The following notes on the weather of March 24th, are from observer's 

 whose names will be found in the Meteorological Returns for March, in 

 connection with their respective stations : — BRAiiPxoN S. TnoiiAs, 

 (Chesterfield.) — Lightning, with snow. Orletox. — A sudden dense 

 storm of snow, covering the ground IJ inches deep, with a violent 

 wind. Teax Vicaeage, (Cheadle.) — The snow squall which swept 

 across England from N. to S., reached Tean about noon, and 

 cleared off about 12 45. Cheltexhaii. — A teii-ific snow storm, of 

 shoi-t diu-ation, burst over here at 2 p.ix. Steoud. — Thunder and 

 hghtning, with violent wind, accompanj^ng a snow storm. Leaton 

 Vicarage, (Shrewsbury.) — ^Violent storm at noon; darkness and heav\-snow. 

 More Rectory, (Bishop's Castle.) — The snow storm or cyclone was very 

 violent here about noon, and was followed by a display of Aui'ora Boreahs 

 at night. Castle Street, (Bishop's Castle.) — The squaU struck here 

 with one teii-ific gust at 12 noon. Stokesay. — A severe snow stoi-m with 

 strong N.W. wind at 12 noon ; lasted about an hour. Bar. 29-531 at 12^ ; 

 Temp. 35-5. Worcester. — The storm burst on us very suddenly from 

 the N.W. at 12 40. The barometer only fell two-tenths of an inch from 

 9 a.na., and quickly recovered. Taiiworth. — The storm struck here about 1 

 p.m., and the contrast in less than two minutes from bright sunshine to a 

 perfect hmricane of wind, dust, and snow so thick and dense that 

 nothing could be seen twenty yards off, was most extraordinary. It was 

 all over and bright sunshine in about ten minutes. Bar. at 9 a.m. 29-84, 

 at 1 p.m., 29-44. Sioxey Middletox. — Snowstorm 12 to 12 30, then clear 

 tUl 6 p.m. CosTox. — Rapid fall of Bar. Snow from 1 30 to 6 30 vsdth 

 squalls of vrind. 



Corrrsponbcntt. 



Lepidopteea. — On April the 18th, on the banks of the Great 

 Western Railway between Reading and Oxford I saw three specimens of 

 C. Edusa; also, one of G. Rhamni. — E. H. Maycock. 



The Harebell wtth Whtte Flowers. — In 1875 I observed a number 

 of white harebells on a bank in the parish of Dalby, on the chalk hills or 

 wolds in the east of Lincolnshire. If I am in the same locahty this 

 summer I will look for them, and can then answer the two last questions. 

 —A. E. J. 



