ALLISON ON METEOROLOGY. 399 



During the closing month, December, the barometer was fre- 

 quently high, once even reaching 30.647; and resulting much 

 above the normal. The temperature was slightly deficient in heat 

 for this season. The thermometer marked below as early as 

 midnight of 15th, and at 1 a. next day the minimum of the month 

 was touched — 2°. 9. The predominating wind remained N. W., 

 and still the velocity was low. Kain was far below its average, and 

 snow slightly in excess, the total precipitation not attaining the 

 normal. We saw no aurora in December ; four times fog, and ten 

 times hoar frost were present. We had three gales. On the 4th, 

 after a foggy noon and showery evening, a S. W. gale began at 8 p. 

 The gale and rain ceased 5th 3 a., wind veered to W. S. W. On 

 the 20th a snow storm began about 4 a. Rain and snow mixed 

 fell during the forenoon, with E. S. E. gale from 9 to 11 a. On 

 the 28th we had heavy rain and a S. gale in morning, and then 

 wind veered through S. W. till the gale again sprang up from W. 

 at 5 p. and blew till midnight. 



The mean of the whole year 1873, was somewhat in excess In 

 pressure of the atmosphere. The normal temperature of air in 

 Halifax is 42°. 92, derived from eleven years' observations. Last 

 year gave 42° . 24 ; being therefore rather a cool year. The mean 

 pressure of vapour was .272, and relative humidity 79.0. The 

 mean amount of cloud was 5.78, or .20 below the normal. N.W. 

 winds greatly outnumbered any other, being the prevalent direction 

 in nine months, (S.W. excelled in July, August and September) 

 and observed 461 times out of 2920 observations. The mean 

 yearly total of precipitation at this station, deduced from the same 

 eleven years above alluded to, viz : 1863 to 1873 both included, 

 is found to be 52.05 inches. Of this 43.28 inches fall as rain, 

 and 8.77 are obtained from melting the^snow, which normally falls 

 dry to the depth of 80.1 inches. 1873 was a wet year in every 

 respect, but not excessively so. 45.27 inches of rain fell on 130 

 days; and 91.4 inches snow on 51 days. 199 days were quite 

 dry, or afforded no appreciable precipitation — 205 being the mean 

 number. Miscellaneous phenomena were observed as follows : — 



Auroras 55 Gales 17 



Fogs 50 Dews 81 



