METEOROLOGY. 169 
the spring months are of variable character the summer and Ensereien are 
seldom continuously fine. 
In respect of other points of climate the year 1872 calls for little remark. 
As a whole it was warm, but without extremes of temperature; the barometric 
pressure ruled low, and storms were frequent. It it needless to enter into 
details in regard to the several months, the more so as they are now regularly. 
published in the Cornwall Gazette, the West Briton, and the Western Morning 
News. A few particulars may deserve mention. On January 23rd the 
barometer fell gradually from 28°67 at 9 a.m., to 28°34 at 4 p.m., at Truro, 
and at Bodmin to 28-06 at 1 a.m., on 24th, the lowest point ever registered 
there. The peculiarity of this fall was that it was not attended by storm, 
only by heavy rain. Mr. Tripp mentions that on the 16th, the sea was heard 
near Altarnun, 93 miles straight from the sea near Boscastle. This was 
followed by a rapid fall of the Barometer, a violent gale, and -92 inch of rain 
next day. On 4th February, from 5 p.m., to 9 p.m., a very fine Aurora was 
seen throughout the west. Its colour was a beautiful bright rose pink, and 
streamers shot out far beyond the zenith. The centres of chief brilliancy 
varied, but prevailed more towards the west than north. The third week 
in March (21st to 27th), was the coldest of the year. The mean temp. at 
Altarnun was 37°, that from Ist to 20th having been 47:50. Snow fell 
there on six out of these seven days. At Truro there was frost through the 
week. 
A summary of Mr. Glaisher’s remarks on the Meteorology of this 
quarter, as noted at the Greenwich Observatory, may be useful as a supple- 
ment and complement to our own records. ‘‘ The warm weather,” he says, 
‘‘which set in on December 13th, 1871, following that period of unprecedented 
cold which ended on the preceding day, continued with very few and very 
slight exceptions till 18th March. The mean temp. of these 97 days was 
more than 5° above their averages.” Then followed 8 days of very cold 
weather, which was severely felt owing to the suddenness of so great a 
change. The mean temp. of 21st March, was 213° below that of 17th. “T 
do not know any instance of so remarkable a cold period as that ending Dec. 
12th, 1871, being followed by as remarkable a warm one as that ending 
Marcb 18th, 1872.” 
The next three months need little pedal notice. The latter half of 
April as of March was much colder than the first. ‘‘ The snow on the 21st,” 
Mr. Tripp remarks, ‘‘was general, in the midland and northern counties. It 
was a most wintry day.” May was also a bleak month, with several frosts 
and hailstorms. Fruit trees were much blighted. The first fortnight of 
June was cold. The warmth then increased suddenly, and caused much elec- 
trical disturbance. ‘Terrific thunderstorms raged in other parts of the king- 
dom on the 18th and 24th, but the far west escaped lightly. That on the 
18th was. strongly felt at Plymouth. Dr. Merrifield states it to have been 
one of the most continuous and violent he ever registered, lasting for more 
than ten hours, from 6.45 p.m. In 35 minutes, -56 inch of rain was measured. 
Mr. Glaisher gives a similar report of very changeable weather for this 
quarter. Periods of excessive and deficient temperature alternated. 
