488 REPORT— 1891. 



day was the severest that had been experienced in the memory of ' the 

 oldest inhabitant,' and told hard on water-pipes and shrubs. On the 

 same dates the temperature of the river Stour was 37° and 36°, a differ- 

 ence of 1° only, while that of the air was 15°. The severe frost, it will 

 be observed, did not last long, for on the following morning, the 6th, the 

 temperature of the air rose to 38°-3, and that of water was 38°, or only 

 2° higher than it was on the 4th. Further instances of the rapid rise in 

 the air-temperature as compared with that of the water are observable 

 in the observations taken on March 6, 7, and 8, and again on the 9th a 

 rapid fall in the air occurred, and little or none in the water-temperature. 

 Wind N.W. and weather fine. 



Observations were omitted in April, May, and June, as the observer 

 was not furnished with a book to enter them in. 



In the month of July the temperature of the air usually exceeded 

 that of the water, as it might be expected it would. The highest air- 

 temperature was 71° on the 17th, when the water was 62°, difference 9°. 

 The lowest air-temperature was 55° on the 11th, and that of water on 

 the same date 57°, difference 2°. Wind generally westerly, veering to 

 N.W. and S.W., with occasional showers but generally fine. 



The same rule, as respects the relative temperatures of air and water, 

 applies to the observations taken in August and September, the water 

 being invariably colder, though not more than 6° or 7° difference, and 

 often less, especially towards the end of each month. 



In October a change is observable, the water being frequently the 

 warmer of the two, notably on the 22nd and 28th, when the difference 

 was 9° and 10° in favour of the water, with a cold easterly wind on the 

 former date, and N.W. on the latter. 



A further instance of the sudden rise in the air-temperature, as com- 

 pared with that of the water, is seen by comparing the observations taken 

 on October 28 and 29. A warm S.W. wind caused the air- temperature 

 to rise 10°, while that of the water remained the same on both days. 



The same remarks are applicable to the month of November, the 

 water-temperature being usually the higher of the two. The exceptions 

 occurred on the 13th, 15th, and 2ord. On each of these dates there was 

 a sudden rise of air-temperature, and no corresponding rise in that of 

 water. The wind S.W." and weather dull and wet. The lowest air- 

 temperature in this mouth was on the 30th, viz., 22°-5, the water being 

 38°, difference 15°-5. 



December 1890 was an unusually cold month, the thermometer 

 standing at or below freezing point for twenty out of thirty-one days. 

 It opened with a temperature of ] 7°-5 on the "first, on which date the 

 water was 37°, or 19°-5 warmer than the air. This state of things did 

 not last long, for on the 4th the temperature of the air was 4° 5 higher 

 than that of the water. As a rule, however, the water-temperature was 

 higher than that of the air throughout the month. The Stour being a 

 running stream, the surface was not frozen even with the air-temperature 

 at 18°. On the contrary, the water-temperature on these days, viz., 

 13th and 14th, is recorded to have been 30° and 37°, that is, 18° and 19° 

 warmer than the air. The wind for the most part of the month was 

 from the cold quarter, viz., E. and JST.E. A fall of snow occurred on the 

 19th with the wind at E.S.E., and again on the 27th. The weather 

 throughout the month was dull and cold. 



It only remains to state that the observations referred to in this paper 



