356 IMPORTANCE OF REGISTERS 



be found in the present state of inquiry on this 

 subject. 



(18.) Having thus given a brief abstract of the 

 scheme which has been recently set on foot by M. 

 Quetelet for obtaining observations in different loca- 

 lities on periodic phenomena in Natural History upon 

 one uniform plan, we may now proceed to speak 

 of the Calendar of such phenomena presented to the 

 reader in the present work. As the bulk of the ob- 

 servations there registered were made many years 

 back, and long before the above scheme had been 

 proposed, they have no immediate reference to it, 

 nor will they admit of close comparison with any 

 single observations made subsequently : indeed many 

 of them are not much adapted to assist in questions 

 of a climatological character. It has been already 

 stated, that for such purposes a selection of phenomena 

 would be the most serviceable (11,); whereas the pre- 

 sent calendar is of a more general nature, and in- 

 tended rather for the use and guidance of observers 

 of all classes. Its main object was to endeavour to 

 ascertain the mean time of occurrence of the various 

 periodic phenomena most noticeable in our own im- 

 mediate neighbourhood, and for the furtherance of 

 that department of natural history in reference to a 

 given locality. In the present work, it is intended 

 in some measure to take the place of White's Natu- 

 ralists' Calendar. "With this view, the phenomena 

 which White has recorded have been revised ; and 

 some rejected, and others added, according as the sub- 

 ject, especially when taken in connexion with the cir- 

 cumstance of the increased attention of late paid to it, 



