REPORTS BY THE HONORARY SCIENTISTS. 149 



all other districts. Very cold weather was experienced during 

 the week ending the 25th, the mean temperature over large areas 

 being about or slightly under the freezing point. The lowest 

 temperature recorded during this cold spell was 3° - on the 24th 

 at Braemar, and the next lowest, 7°'2, at Lednathie. The mean 

 rainfall was a quarter less than the normal, the deficit being 

 most marked in the vicinity of Skye, and in the counties of 

 Caithness, Aberdeen, Ayr, and Wigtown. On the other hand, 

 there was a marked excess at many places on the west from 

 Stornoway to Wigtown. Bright sunshine was in excess of the 

 average, except in the north-west of Scotland, where there was 

 an insignificant deficiency. The extremes were 36 per cent, of 

 the total possible at Aberdeen and Braemar, and 19 per cent, at 

 Fort Augustus. 



April 1899. — The weather of April was characterised by frequent 

 and heavy falls of rain, some showers of snow, sleet, and hail, 

 and a few thunderstorms. Mean temperature was 1°T below the 

 average, the general distribution over the country approximating 

 closely to the normal. The average varied from 45° *3 at Paisley 

 to 39° -3 at Braemar. Rainfall was everywhere in excess of the 

 average, the mean, taking the country generally, being 81 per 

 cent, above the normal. The quantity collected varied from 

 11-21 inches at Lochbuie to 1-69 inch at Smeaton. The number 

 of daj^s with rain was conspicuously large, although no heavy 

 falls in twenty-four hours were reported. Bright sunshine 

 amounted to less than the average, and varied from 38 per cent, 

 of the total at Deerness (Orkney Islands) to 23 per cent, at 

 Glasgow. 



May 1899. — Except for an unsettled period about the middle of 

 the month, the weather of May was fine, although cold, with a 

 very large excess of easterly and north-easterly winds. The 

 mean temperature was 46° '3, or 2° "7 less than the average, being- 

 highest, 49° -2, at Craigrannoch, and lowest, 42°-6, at Tillypronie 

 and North Esk Reservoir. The greatest cold was experienced in 

 the eastern parts of the country, but in the west the values did 

 not differ much from the normal. Rainfall was considerably 

 above the average, the month being one of the wettest Mays 

 since 1856. There was a general deficiency in the north-east 

 and north-west of the country, but a great excess was recorded 

 over the southern districts. Bright sunshine varied considerably 

 in different parts of the country, but on the mean departed but 

 little from the average. The greatest percentage of the possible , 



