"4 M. Kiipffer"s Meteorological OOsei culions made at 



calms. We see, then, that all the winds, from whatever 

 quarter they blow, depress the barometer, but this depression 

 is compensated by the influence of the calms. 



We shall now say a few words with regard to the observa- 

 tions of temperature. The mean temperature of St Peters- 

 burg, as deduced from all the observations made at 7 h. a. m., 

 2 p. M., and 9 r. m., is 39°.61 F. The mean of the loAvest and 

 of the highest temperatures observed in each month, at the 

 hours indicated, is 39°.51 ; that is, obviously the same. The 

 most elevated temperature during the 13 years was 87°. 8 ; it 

 happened the 24th of .Tune 1827 ; the lowest temperature 

 was — ^22°.67 ; it happened the 7th of February 1823. Hence it 

 appears, that, between the highest and the lowest tempera- 

 ture, there is a difference of 110^47. 



In a memoir read before the assembly of the naturalists of 

 Germany, met at Jena, M. Madler attempted to demonstrate 

 that the phases of the moon exercise a remarkable influence 

 on the temperature of the air at the earth's surface. M. Kup- 

 ifer wished to see if the observations of St Petersburg would 

 indicate a similar influence. For this purpose, he calculated 

 separately the mean temperatures of the syzygies and qua- 

 dratures for 14 consecutive years ; that is, from 1822 to 1835 

 inclusively. He took, as is generally done, the day of the 

 phasis itself, the two days which precede, and the two which 

 follow it. The means are : 



New Moon. Full Moon. First Quarter. Last Quarter. 

 .39°.66 39°.24 39°,89 39°.65 



In the course of the 14 years referred to, there were 173 

 new moons, and as many full moons and first quarters, and 

 174 last quarters. Each of the first three means, therefore, 

 stated above, is the result of 865, and the last of 870 obser- 

 vations. If we might be permitted to draw any conclusion 

 from so small a number of observations, the full moon would 

 have the power of lowering the temperature. We must, how- 

 ever, remember, that the means themselves do not present a 

 regular gradation ; the influence of the first quarter ought to 

 be the same as that of the last ; the last, on the contrary, is 

 as great as that of the new moon. 



