Meteorological Observatiom. 487 



stone near Ober-Langenau, Bohemia. These coprolites are richer 

 in organic matter (sometimes as much as 7403 per cent.) than any 

 other at present known. Treated with aether, they give a rather 

 considerable quantity of a greasy Hquid matter, of disagreeable smell. 

 Other coprolites have in the course of time been deprived of a large 

 proportion of their organic matter by decomposition, or by mecha- 

 nical agents ; those, however, under notice have suffered but little 

 alteration in quantity and quality, owing probably to the circum- 

 stance that they have been quickly enveloped with inorganic matter, 

 and in this way secured from the action of water and air. Every one 

 of these coprolites is surrounded with a concretion of magnesian 

 limestone, segregated from the imbedding rock. These concretions 

 likewise contain nitrogenous organic matter, sometimes to the amount 

 of 36"56 per cent. This matter may be supposed to have originated 

 from the decomposition of numerous fishes, the remains of which are 

 frequently found preserved in the concretions. 



This considerable deposit of organic matter, besides its scientific 

 interest, may acquire a practical importance. It would be perhaps 

 profitable to use these slates for the production of gas, paraffine, &c., 

 and to use for manure the residuum of these operations, containing 

 a notable proportion of potash and phosphoric acid. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR APRIL 1856. 

 Chiswick. — April 1, 2. Exceedingly fine. 3. Overcast: rain. 4. Densely 

 clouded : fine, with low wliite clouds. 5. Fine : cloudy. 6. Fine : frosty at night. 

 7. Fine: cloudy: rain. 8. Rain. 9. Cloudy: rain. 10. Rain. 11. Fine: 

 showery: rain at night. 12. Rain: cloudy and mild: fine. 13. Fine: cloudy: 

 hazy. 14. Fine : rain : boisterous, with rain at night. 15. Overcast : cold north- 

 east wind. 16. Fine, but cold : masses of white clouds. 17. Dusky white clouds: 

 fine: cloudy. 18. Overcast: fine: cloudy. 19. Overcast: densely clouded: 

 clear : frosty. 20. Fine : frosty at night. 21. Cloudless : very fine : hazy at 

 night. 22. Overcast : cloudy : frosty. 23. Shght haze : cloudy. 24. Uniform 

 haze : overcast : fine. 25. Foggy : very fine : rain. 26. Hea^y rain : cloudy. 

 27. Rain. 28. Clear : fine : frosty. 29. Partially overcast : cloudy and cold. 

 30. Fine. 



Mean temperature of the month 46°'48 



Mean temperature of April 1855 46 "08 



Mean temperature of April for the last thirty years 47 '13 



Average amount of rain in April 1553 inch. 



Boston. — April 1. Fine: rain P.M. 2. Cloudy. 3. Cloudy : rain p.m. 4. Cloudy. 

 5. Fine. 6. Cloudy : rain p.m. 7. Cloudy. 8. Cloudy : rain p.m. 9. Cloudy. 

 10. Cloudv : rain p.m. 11. Fine: rain p.m. 12. Rain a.m. and p.m. 13. Fine. 

 14. Cloudy. 15. Fine. 16—19. Cloudy. 20. Fine. 21—24. Cloudy. 25. Fine. 

 26. Rain a.m. and p.m. 27. Cloudy. 28. Cloudy: rain p.m. 29. Cloudy: 

 rain a.m. and p.m. 30. Cloudy. 



Sandwick Manse, Orkney. — April 1 — 3. Bright a.m.: cloudy p.m. 4. Cloudy, 

 drops a.m. : clear, aurora p.m. 5. Cloudy, drops a.m. : clear p.m. 6. Damp a.m. : 

 clear p.m. 7. Bright a.m. : drops p.m. 8 — 10. Cloudy a.m. and p.m. 11. Showers, 

 cloudy A.M. : clear P.M. 12 — 14. Cloudy a.m. and p.m. 15. Cloudy a.m. : clear, 

 fine P.M. 16. Cloudy a.m. and p.m. 17. Showers, cloudy a.m.: cloudy p.m. 

 18. Showers, cloudy a.m. : clear, fine p.m. 19. Clear a.m. : drizzle p.m. 20 — 22. 

 Cloudy A.M. and P.M. 23. Clear a.m. : cloudy p.m. 24. Cloudy a.m. : cloudy, 

 fine P.M. 25. Cloudy, fine a.m. : cloudy, drops p.m. 26. Clear a.m. : hail- 

 showers p.m. 27. Hail-showers a.m. : sleet-showers p.m. 28. Sleet-showers a.m. 

 and p.m. 29. Sleet-showers a.m. : cloudy p.m. 30. Bright a.m. : cloudy p.m. 

 Mean temperature of April for (irevious twenty-uine years ... 43°'47 



Mean temperature of this mouth 44 '56 



Mean temperature of April 1855 43*20 



Average quantity of rain in Ajjril for fifteen previous years ... 1*90 inch. 

 The drought is quite unprecedented, only -68 of rain having fallen for two months, 



