124 METEOROLOGY. 



completely tied up for 20 years. No marvel that between Moscow and St. 

 Petersbui-gli mercury was frozen, and the spirit thermometer marked 94 

 degrees of frost. 



February needs little remark. In temperature it was distinctly above 

 the average ; in rainfall, rather below it ; whilst in this county the number 

 of rainy days was in excess. Up the country the month was still drier ; but 

 in Scotland quite otherwise : at Fort William, as a rather extreme instance, 

 it rained every day, and the amount registered was 20-13 in. The gales of 

 the 1st and 19th were less heavy and destructive in the west than in the 

 north and in Ireland. Frost was noted on four nights at Truro, on thirteen 

 at Altarnun. Vegetation was forward everywhere. 



March resembled February in having a less quantity of rain falling on 

 a greater number of days than the average. The mean temperature of the 

 month was about 3° above the average, and frost was almost confined to the 

 three last days. The strongest winds preceded the equinox, and no violent 

 storm oceuri'ed. There was a heavy hail storm, with thunder, on 8th. 

 Vegetation maintained its forwardness. 



April was a fine month ; the fall of rain, although above the average, 

 being confined to ten days. On 19th the rainfall at Penzance was 1-13 ; at 

 Trm'o and Bodmin, 1-08; at Altarnun, 1-65 inch. No remarkable electrical 

 disturbance was recorded at Truro, or west of it, but Capt. Liddell notes a 

 " terrific thunder storm" at Bodmin on the 28th. Similar storms occurred 

 about the same time in many parts of England. The first half of the month 

 was clear, and sometimes frosty, — at Altarnun eight times — at night ; and the 

 days were almost uninterruptedly fine till the 18th. The weather then became 

 unsettled. The month was favourable to agriculture. The mean tempera- 

 ture was rather below the average here ; rather above it at Greenwich. 



May was remarkably fine throughout England. The rainfall and rainy 

 days were both much below the average of this usually dry month ; and the 

 mean temperature was largely — at Triiro 2-6 deg. — in excess. A thunder 

 Btorm occurred on tlie 29th, which was slight at Penzance, and not heavy 

 here, but violent at Bodmin, where "90 inch of rain fell in 15 minutes. It 

 ■was almost simultaneous at these places ; and little later at Barnstaple. 

 Great part of England, as far as the Midland Counties, was visited severely 

 as the day went on ; so were Brussels, Paris, Chambery, and Toulon. It 

 reached London about 1 p.m., and rain fell there for a short time at the 

 rate of six inches per hour. The record of accidents, probably not half what 

 occurred, mentions as struck 16 men, toxvc fatally, thirteen beasts, twelve sheep, 

 five churches, ten houses, &c. At Altarnun and Dartmoor the storm took 

 place the day before. The general forwardness of the season was strongly 

 marked. 



June was also a brilliant month. The rainfall was only half an inch 

 (about one fifth of the average), and it fell on only 6 days, instead of the 

 average thirteen. At Sennen, St. Agnes, and Newquay, all but four days 

 were quite dry. The mean temperature was 2-2 deg. above the average. Rlr. 

 Tripp records a diiference of 50° between 89" and 39°, from day to night of 

 23rd, at Altarnun, For Greenwich, Mr, Glaisher states that the only 



