THE GREAT FROST OF 1895 31 



(Jan. 14-21). For seventy consecutive days (Dec. 26 

 to Mar. 5) the thermometer fell below freezing-point 

 during some part of the twenty-four hours. The 

 mean temperature for the whole period was 27'5, and 

 the daily minimum averaged 22. The greatest ex- 

 tremity of cold observed in England was 11 at 

 Buxton. Northerly winds prevailed during most of 

 the time, an area of high pressure being pretty constant 

 in the north, and an area of low pressure in the south 

 of Europe. The ice on ponds attained a thickness 

 of over ten inches. On the whole the frost was 

 considered the most severe since that of I8I4. 1 



On our commons and moors the Furze was much 

 injured, and the following summer many dead or 

 partly dead bushes were seen. In Yorkshire Furze is 

 near its northern limit ; it gets into the North of 

 Scotland, but its frequency diminishes greatly. On 

 the Continent it does not extend north of Denmark. 



Fruit-eating Birds, especially the Black-bird, Thrush, 

 and Linnet, were so reduced in numbers that in the 

 summer of 1895 little damage was done to fruit, 

 and nets were laid aside which had previously been 

 absolutely necessary to protect the fruit-crops. 

 Mountain Ash berries, in places where the trees are 

 ordinarily cleared by the birds every autumn, remained 

 unmolested in singular profusion. 



Even in the sea the effects of the long and severe 

 cold were felt. Oysters and Mussels suffered much 

 from hard frosts at low tides. Whelks and Scallops 

 were killed in great numbers. Fishes and other 

 marine animals were thrown up on the shore, dead or 

 1 Bayard and Marriott, Roy. Met. Soc., 1895. 



