394 A year's weather. 



Just another nature note : Robins are plentiful this year. 

 Watch them. A sudden dart from the meadow into the hedge ; 

 on reaching a twig they suddenly turn, presenting to the observer 

 their red breasts, and then remain perfectly still — as if stuffed — often 

 ten minutes or so. We are just on the turn of the year, the black 

 fungus is on the sycamore already, leaves are turning reddish, and 

 the robins are becoming hard to distinguish in their surroundings. 



A peep backwards, about which many of my readers like 

 to read, July, 1792 — 100 years ago — 17th. A hail storm, 

 preceded by continued thunder for more than half an hour, 

 as if it came from different points 3 sometime before and 

 during the storm, which did not continue a couple of minutes, 

 pitchy darkness 3 and during the fall of hail a violent gust of 

 wind. Hail stones about two inches long, angular and pointed, 

 as if encircled with ice ; the storm was followed by long and heavy- 

 rain. Vegetables injured. Some fields of wheat so much injured 

 that they were mown for fodder for cattle. Chiefly gloomy 

 weather the whole month, very little sun, many days without the 

 least appearance, hay harvest far from being finished. Rainfall 

 2*3 inches. 



What a contrast between July 1792, and July 1892 ! 



August 22nd, 1892. 



AUGUST. 



For over three-fourths of the month we had splendid harvest 

 weather, with every prospect of registering a very dry August. 

 Up to the 23rd only 0*67 of an inch of rain had fallen, the days 

 followed one another beautifully fine, plenty of hot sunshine, 

 though cold on some nights. On the 1 7th we had a magnificent 

 day, 102 degrees in the sun; then a little dulness and yet a 

 tendency to be fair. The first serious break was about 4.30 p.m. 

 on the 24th, when we had a heavy sudden shower ; yet next day, 

 which 1 spent on the Gwithian and Godrevy Towans and along 

 the North cliffs, was delightfully fine. On the Friday, the day 

 still kept fair with plenty of sunshine, but after midnight the rain 

 came down in torrents, next morning we registered nearly half an 

 inch ; the downpour continued all Saturday, the rain gauge giving 

 next morning ) '90 inches, nearly two inches of rain for the 24 hours. 



