Meteorological Register. 287 



Art. ^IV .^Meteorological Register kept at Matanzas ; 

 by A. Mallory. 



Matanzas, March 4, 1836. 



TO PROP. SILLIMAN. 



Dear Sir, — I duly received your favor enclosing the scale of Mr. 

 Dewitt's conical raingage, and the New York circular ; and offer in 

 return my meteorological observations, made at this place for the 

 year 1835. The mean temperature has been considerably lower 

 than in former years — the mean of 1834 being 79.27, and of 1833, 

 79. Humboldt makes it about 78, which I had thought too low. 

 The month of February was remarkably cold — and November 

 warmer than October. The summer months were cool, and January 

 ranged rather high. I have been at considerable pains to verify the 

 observation, that water taken from a considerable depth would give 

 the mean temperature of the country, and find it true. I have made 

 a series of observations upon the v»?ater taken from a well of the 

 depth of one hundred and sixty feet, and find it gives a mean of 

 seventy eight degrees. In fact the difference between summer and 

 winter never amounts to a degree. 



My barometrical observations were made with a new and very 

 neat instrument, made by Pike & Sons of New York ; but I am 

 inclined to think it ranges a little too high ; of that however you 

 will be the best judge — you will observe that the fluctuation of the 

 mercury is extremely small. 



The hygrometrical observations were made with Saussure's hy- 

 grometer, and I believe show a degree of humidity rather greater 

 than noted by Humboldt. These instruments were all kept at an 

 elevation of twenty five feet above the level of the sea, and about 

 three hundred yards from its border, with a free exposure from with- 

 out day and night, and properly shaded from any undue reflection. 

 The raingage was of the old fashioned conical shape, with receiver, 

 stop-cock, and graduated scale. I preferred it to a cylindrical one 

 made of glass, or to Dewitt's, as it loses nothing by evaporation, and 

 the observation is made with little trouble, at sunrise, for the last 

 twenty four hours, as were those made with the register thermome- 

 ter. The windgage used was of my own construction, and answers 

 well to show the comparative strength of the wind for the different 

 months. It consists simply of a small windmill, the shaft of which 



