Meteorological Observations. 207 



Gehin deltura. — On the 22nd December, 1855, I fonnd on Wey- 

 mouth Sands, at the same time with S(juit/a Desmarestii, two Hving 

 specimens of Gebia delturu. Although hving, they were too much 

 injured to recover, and I was thus unfortunately prevented from 

 studying their habits. The lengtli of the larger one is nearly 2^ 

 inches, and the smaller one 2 inches. 



Great numbers of Harvey's Syrinx were thrown up at the same 

 time, as also numerous specimens of an Actinia, which I doubtfully 

 refer to Actinia vhrysunthelhnti (Peach). 



I am, Gentlemen, yours obediently, 



William Thompson. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR DEC. 1855. 

 Chiswick. — December 1. Hazy: very fine : rain. 2. Cloudy: rain. 3. Clear 

 and frosty. 4. Foggy : drizzly. 5. Clear : overcast. G. Slight snow : windy at 

 night. 7. Clear: fine. 8. Cloudy and cold. 9. Frosty : cloudy and cold : foggy. 

 10. Overcast : sliglit snow. 11. Uniform haze. 12. Overcast : sharp frost. 13. 

 Frosty : fine, with sun : clear and frosty. 14. Overcast : rain. 15. Densely over- 

 cast : cloudy. 16. Fine: foggy. 17. Foggy. 18. Cloudy and cold. 19. Clear, 

 cold and dry. 20. Frosty, with dry air. 21. Frosty throughout the day : severe 

 Frost at night. 22. Frosty : overcast. 23. Overcast: fine: showery. 24. Very 

 fine : showery at night. 25. Rain. 26. Boisterous, with rain. 27. Rain : cloudy : 

 fine. 28. Very fine. 29. Fine : very fine : slight rain. 30. Cloudy and fine. 

 31. Fine throughout. 



Mean temperature of the month 34°-99 



Mean temperature of Dec. 1854 39 -35 



Mean temperature of Dec. for the last twenty-nine years ... 39 '64 



Average amount of rain in Dec 1492 inches. 



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



6. Fine : snow a.m. 7. Cloudy : snow p.m. 8, 9. Cloudy : snow a.m. and p.m. 

 10. Fine: snow a.m. and p.m. 11 — 13. Fine. 14. Cloudy : rain a.m. and p.m. 

 15. Cloudy. 16 — 21. Fine. 22. Cloudy : snow a.m. 23. cloudy : snow and rain 

 A.M., and rain P.M. 24. Fine. 25,26. Cloudv : rain a.m. and p.m. 27 — 29. 

 Fine. 30, 31. Cloudy. 



Sandwich Manse, Orkney. — Dec. 1. Drizzle a.m. : clear p.m. 2. Damp a.m. : 

 damp, vapours p.m. 3. Showers a.m. : drizzly showers p.m. 4. Rain a.m. : 

 showers p.m. 5. Snow-showers a.m. : sleet p.m. 6. Snow-showers a.m. and p.m. 



7. Sleet-showers A.M. : clear, frost p.m. 8. Cloudy a.m.: cloudy, frost p.m. 9. 

 Cloudy A.M.: fine, frost p.m. 10. Cloudy a.m.: shov\ers p.m. 11, 12. Snow- 

 shovsers a.m. and p.m. 13. Cloudy a.m.: showers p.m. 14. Rain a.m. : drizzle 

 p.m. 15. Showers A.M. : showers, thunder and lightning p.m. 16. Hail-showers 

 a.m.: sleet-showers p.m. 17. Fine a.m. : fine, cloudy p.m. 18. Cloudy a.m.: 

 sleet-showers p.m. 19. Cloudy .\.m. and p.m. 20. Bright a.m. : Cloudy p.m. 

 21. Bright A.M. : clear p.m. 22. Clear, frost a.m. and p.m. 23. Snow-showers 

 A.M. : rain, clear p.m. 24. Bright a.m. : rain p.m. 25. Bright a.m. : clear p.m. 

 26. Drizzle a.m. : rain p.m. 27. Rain, drizzle a.m. : fine, cloudy p.m. 28. Damp 

 A.M. : rain p.m. 29. Bright a.m. : cloudy p.m. 30. Bright a.m. : clear, aurora 

 p.m. 31. Bright a.m. : cloudy p.m.. 



Mean temperature of Dec. for twenty-eight previous years ... 41°'03 



Mean temperature of the month 39 '41 



Mean temperature of Dec. 1854 39 '13 



Average quantity of rain in Dec. for fifteen previous years ... 4*21 inches. 



The following are the averages for November 1855, with which we have been 

 favoured by our correspondent the Rev. Ch. Clouston of Sandwick Manse, whose 

 usual report miscarried owing to the stormy weather which then prevailed : — 



Barometer. 



a.m. p.m. 



29-970 29-976. 



Thermometer. 



A.M. P.M. 



43-33 43-46 



Rain 



in inches. 



1-37. 



