BENGAL PRESIDKNCY. 197 



66=* to 86° ; the mean heat about 74= ; medium altitude of 

 the barometer, "29.98. 



As December comes on a considerable change takes place. 

 Although the middle of the day and the afternoon be 

 clear and fine, a haze generally towards evening collects 

 round the horizon, and obscures the setting sun. As the 

 night advances thick fogs, sometimes general, sometimes 

 partial, begin to collect, and do not disperse until morning. 

 As they are broken up by the influence of the sun's rays 

 their vapours rise and form gray masses of clouds, which 

 render the early part of the day hot and unpleasant, and 

 do not disappear until it is far advanced. These fogs do 

 not by any means occur every night. .Sometimes, though 

 rarely, the whole month passes over without them ; ordina- 

 rily they appear only three or four times ; sometimes during 

 severaf nights successively. As in Xovember, the north 

 and west a^re the prevailing winds. They are very sharp, 

 but blow steadilv, never rising to a gale, nor falling to a per- 

 fect lull. The range of the ''thermometer is from 56= to 

 78° ; the mean temperature about 70° ; altitude of the 

 barometer, 30.01. 



During January much the same weather prevails. The 

 air is ser'ene, and to the feel piercingly cold. The wind 

 blows steadilv, and perhaps more forcibly, from the north 

 and north-west, than in December. Fogs are still very 

 frequent, and sometimes so thick that scarcely any object 

 is visible until a late hour in the morning ; and every thing 

 exposed to the external air becomes wet and covered with 

 drops of moisture. They may be often seen rolling in dense 

 lartfe bodies in opposite directions. During the clear nights 

 heavy dews fall. The range of the thermometer is from 

 47= to 75° ; the mean heat about 68° ; altitude of the ba- 

 rometer, 29.99. 



The weather keeps very pleasant until the second week 

 of February, when. the middle of the day grows warm ; and 

 the changeof the wind to the south and east, and the col- 

 lection of clouds in the horizon, withthreateningsof thun- 

 der-gusts, portend the approach of the hot season. At 

 ni<Tht the air is raw and cold, and the mornings are foggy. 

 The thennometer ranges from 65° to 82° ; the mean heat, 

 76° ; altitude of barometer, 30.3. 



Sometimes a few heavy and refreshing showers fall about 

 R2 



