METEOROLOGY. 97 
September was generally dull and showery, with S.W. winds, till after the 
11th, when there was a shift to N. and E., and fine—rather cold, weather, till 
the 23rd. There was a heavy gale on 10th, and about an inch and three 
quarters of rain fell, more than the total for the same month in 1870. The 
next fortnight of fine and genial weather was of great advantage to late har- 
vest work. It was succeeded by heavy and almost constant floods till the end 
of the month, the rainfall of which (8°50 inches) exceeded the average, in the 
proportion of 8 to 3,—one-half of this having been gauged in the last week. 
The mean temperature of the month at Bodmin was nearly 2 degrees below 
the average. Mr. Glaisher reports, from the Greenwich observations, that 
during the period of 42 days of warm and genial weather, extending from 
August 6th to Sept. 16th, the mean excess of temperature above the average 
was 43° daily. 
October began and ended with heavy gales and rain, and was altogether 
rather wet, the rainfall (5:19 inches), and the number of days on which it fell, 
being each about 1-5th above the average. The Bodmin temperature was just 
the mean of 22 years. There was no frost at any station except Altarnun, 
where it was noted on four nights, the thermometer falling to 30° on 9th. 
November was a rather cold month, even in the west; but more decidedly 
80 at the eastern stations. The mean temperature at Bodmin was 3:1° below 
the average. The minimum was 22° there and at Truro, and 20° at Altarnun; 
where there were 18 frosts. The cold was more severe and prolonged up the 
country ; it set in on the 2nd, and continued through the whole month, and 
on to Dec. 12th. In the last 85 years there has not been at Greenwich any 
instance of such a cold November. 
The differences in the rainfall at the several stations deserve remark. 
At Altarnun and Bodmin, it was much less than half the average for the 
month; at Newquay, St. Agnes, and Truro, a little under the same proportion; 
whilst at Falmouth and Helston it just reached the usual standard. The © 
difference between Falmouth and Truro is accounted for by a torrent measur- 
- ing 2-23 inches at the former place on the 7th, when the fall at the latter was 
only -46 inch, a curious fact in relation to places so near each other. Capt. 
Liddell remarks that the rainfall at Bodmin was the smallest ever known 
there in November. There was a very fine Aurora on the 10th. 
The first half of December was cold. The Bodmin mean temperature was 
2-10 below the average. The minimum there was 18°; at Altarnun, 16°; at 
Truro, 21°; whilst at Falmouth, it was 29-19, and at Helston, 26°. The 5th 
was everywhere the coldest day. At Scilly, the lowest temperature was 33°, 
not quite freezing. The grass thermometer at Altarnun fell to 9° on 5th 
and 8th. The rest of the month was mild, wet, and stormy; bringing the 
rainfall nearly up to the average. There was a short but very violent tempest 
on the 20th, from W.S.W. to W.N.W.; the maximum velocity registered at 
Falmouth was 67 miles per hour. Trees were uprooted at Altarnun, our 
easternmost station; whilst at Scilly, the most western, the unfortunate 
steamer, Delaware, was lost, with nearly all hands. 
