Meteorological Observations. 151 



covering of a body attracting it, and the admission of the new solvent 

 took place from beneath, so that all movement of the crystals was 

 annulled. 



On the other hand, the crystallized salts soluble in water, such as 

 bichromate of potash, sulphate of iron or copper, muriate of ammonia, 

 and sulphate of alumina and potash, may be caused to make similar 

 movements upon water, when their crystals, split into laminae, are 

 laid, slightly coated with fat, upon the surface of water. — Jahrb. 

 der K. K. geolog. Reicksansialt, No. 2, 1856. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR DEC. 1856. 



[The insertion of carefully prepared Meteorological Reports in the principal 

 daily Papers has rendered our Table and Observations, which from the nature of 

 our publication cannot appear within less than a month after date, of so little 

 value, that the Editors have determined to discontinue them. In doing so they 

 beg to return their thanks to those gentlemen who for so many years have kindly 

 contributed the information.] 



Chiswick. — December 1. Severe frost : fine, but cold. 2. Clear and frosty. 3. 

 Rain. 4. Frosty and foggy: rain. 5. Foggy and drizzly: rain at night. 6. 

 Densely clouded : raiu. 7. Boisterous : cloudy : fine. 8. Densely overcast : 

 cloudy : rain. 9. Fine : cloudy : rain at night. 10. Rain : densely clouded. 11. 

 Partially overcast : fine : rain at night. 12. Clear : very fine in forenoon : cloudy 

 at night: heavy rain. 13. Rain: cloudy and fine. 14. Slight rain: cloudy and 

 fine. 15. Clear and fine: frosty at night. 16. Sharp frost: clear: foggy. 17. 

 Frosty and foggy: cloudy at night. 18. Hazy : drizzly : slight rain. 19. Clear 

 and fine throughout : slight frost at night. 20. Frosty : hazy: cloudy. 21. Over- 

 cast, 22. Cloudy. 23. Partially overcast : clear : cloudy. 24. Rain: clear and 

 very fine : frosty at night. 25. Foggy : sharp frost. 26. Cloudy : frosty. 27. 

 Clear and frosty : severe frost at night. 28. Frosty : clear : sharp frost. 29. Clear 

 and frosty : overcast. 30. Hazy. 31. Cloudy. 



Mean temperature of the month 39°-03 



Mean temperature of Dec. 1855 33 -99 



Mean temperature of Dec. for the last thirty years 39 -48 



Average amount of rain in Dec 1-479 inch. 



Boston. — Dec. 1. Fine. 2. Fine : snow p.m. 3, 4. Fine. 5. Cloudy : rain 

 A.M. 6. Fine: rain p.m. 7. Cloudy: rain a.m. and p.m. 8, 9. Cloudy. 10. 

 Cloudy: rain a.m. 11. Cloudy; rain p.m. 12, 13. Fine: rain p.m. 14-16. Fine. 

 17. Cloudy. 18. Cloudy : rain A.M. 19. Fine. 20. Cloudy. 21. Cloudy : rain p.m. 

 22— 26. Fine. 27. Fine : snow p.m. 28. Fine. 29. Fine : rain p.m. 30. Cloudy. 

 31. Fine. 



Sandwich Manse, Orkney. — Dec. 1. Bright a.m. : clear p.m. 2. Snow-showers 

 A.M. : clear p.m. 3. Cloudy a.m. : showers, thaw p.m. 4. Snow-showers a.m. : 

 rain p.m. 5. Drops a.m.: rain p.m. C. Showers a.m. and p.m. 7. Cloudy a.m.: 

 showers p.m. 8. Cloudy a.m. : clear, fine p.m. 9. Cloudy a.m. : rain p.m. 10. Damp 

 A.M.: showers p.m. 11. Cloudy a.m. and p.m. 12. Cloudy a.m. : fine, showers 

 P.M. 13. Cloudy A.M. : fine, clear p.m. 14. Showers a.m.: cloudy p.m. 15. 

 Cloudy A.M. and P.M. 16. Cloudy a.m.: showers p.m. 17. Cloudy a.m.: damp 

 P.M. 18. Showers A.M. ; clear P.M. 19. Drizzle a.m. : cloudy p.m. 20. Drizzle 

 A.M. and p.m. 21. Drizzle a.m.: rain p.m. 22. Hail-showers a.m. and p.m. 

 23. Snow A.M. and p.m. 24. Thaw a.m. : cloudy, sleet p.m. 25. Frost, bright 

 A.M. : snow-showers p.m. 26. Frost, bright a.m. : snovv-siiowers p.m. 27, 28. 

 Hail-showers a.m. and p.m. 29. Bright a.m. : drops p.m. 30. Showers a.m. : 

 drizzle p.m. 31. Drizzle a.m.: rain p.m. 



Mean temperature of Dec. for previous twenty-nine years ... 40^-97 



Mean temperature of this month 39 "38 



Mean temperature of Dec. 1855 39 '41 



Average quantity of rain in Dec. for sixteen previous years . . . 4-23 inches. 



