300 Proceedings of the Boyal Physical Society. 



sent up, as several improvements in the kite apparatus are 

 still required, before this costly instrument can be used 

 with safety. On several occasions friction gradually sawed 

 through the cord fastenings which connect the kite with 

 the piano wire, the result being that the kite broke loose 

 and floated through the air for several miles before reaching 

 the ground. An elastic bridle has been devised to relieve 

 the strain on the connections during squalls, and several 

 other improvements have been effected. The partial failure 

 of some of the experiments is to be largely attributed to the 

 strong winds that prevailed during several of the ascensions. 

 The work will be resumed at an early date ; and arrange- 

 ments are in progress for the equipment of a meteorological 

 base station at Leadburn. 



Eemarks on the Meteorology of 1899. 



January. — The weather of January was very mild till the 

 22nd, with strong south-west winds and much rain. During 

 this period only 13 hours sunshine was registered, and there 

 were only three days without rain. The last nine days were 

 cold and dry, with a good deal of sunshine, although fog was 

 recorded on the 25th and 28th. The mean temperature of 

 the month was l°-3, and rainfall 52 per cent, above the 

 average. Sleet fell on the 12th, and snow on the 16th. 



February. — During February nearly all the meteorological 

 elements agreed closely with their normals for the time of 

 year, the only marked departure from the average being a 

 deficiency of rainfall, nearly all of which fell between the 

 6th and 18th. Wintry conditions were almost wholly 

 absent, the only cold spell experienced being from the 4th 

 to the 7th, and after the 21st. A little snow fell on the 5th, 

 and again on the 7th. There was a dense mist on the 26th 

 and 27th ; the unusual phenomenon of a silver thaw, or 

 rain falling with a temperature below freezing point, being 

 recorded on the evening of the 26th. This phenomenon 

 takes place when a warm wind sets in at a short distance 

 from the earth's surface. The rain has not time to become 

 frozen in the shallow section of cold air in immediate 

 contact with the ground, the temperature of which is 



