302 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
it amounted to 5°:0 and more; but in Shetland the mean tempera- 
ture was only one degree above the average. Throughout the 
month anti-cyclonic conditions prevailed; but the spell of tranquil 
conditions was broken by a severe gale from the west, veering to 
north-west, on the 28th and 29th, much damage being done by 
the high tides. Rainfall was below the average except in the 
Hebrides, but the deficit was not of a very pronounced character 
anywhere. The distribution of bright sunshine was very irregular, 
Stornoway and Glasgow being just the average; Fort Augustus, 
Fort William, and Braemar having a slight excess; and Aberdeen, 
Edinburgh, and Marchmont a defect. At the commencement of 
the month snow or sleet fell in the more northern districts. 
December 1897.—Throughout December there was a marked 
excess of southerly winds, the mean temperature being thus in 
excess of the average, and the rainfall in many places double the 
average. Mean temperature was distributed over the country in 
a singularly unequal manner. ‘In the space enclosed within a 
line drawn through the Minch, Gairloch, Ballachulish, Kingussie, 
and the mouth of the Spey, the mean temperature was under 
the average, the deficiency being 1°°9 at Lairg, 1°°7 at Nairn, 
and 1°-0 at Fort William, Fort Augustus, Inverness, Dunrobin, 
and Gordon Castle. In every other part of Scotland it was above 
the average, the greatest excess being fully 2° in Shetland and 
Orkney, and to the south of the Forth and Clyde, where it was 
from a degree to a degree and a half in excess of the average.” 
Rainfall was 35 per cent. above the average, but in some places 
in the north and east it was below the average, the greatest defect 
being 43 per cent. at Lairg. In many inland situations there was 
a great excess, Bright sunshine was just about normal taking the 
country as a whole, but there was a slight excess in some places. 
January 1898.—The most remarkable feature of the weather 
of January was its phenomenally high mean temperature, the 
average of 44°-6 recorded in Edinburgh being the highest during 
one hundred and thirty-four years, All over Scotland there was 
a noticeable absence of snow and frost, the only snow reported 
falling in the extreme north on the 21st. At no place did the 
temperature fall below 22°:5, while no frost was recorded at 
fourteen of the stations. The mild weather was more pronounced 
at southern than at northern stations, and, what is rarely the case 
in winter, at inland than at coast stations. The mean rainfall 
was 20 per cent. below the average, but was distributed over the 
