fa) 
METHOROLOGICAL REPORT. 51 
The period from the 18th to 80th December is said to have 
been unparalleled for continuance of cold since the year 1815, and 
the thermometer was lower on the 25th, than it has been since 
February 1855.—The Rev. George Ilif’, The Grange. 
Mippieton-1n-TrrspaAte.—Another instance of the lateness 
of the harvest of last year may be noticed in the fact that Mr. 
William Alderson, farmer, Middles, a few miles from this town, 
was engaged last week in ‘stooking” a field of oats.—Local 
Newspaper, March 6, 1861. 
LaneLerrorp.—March 18, the first thaw this year.—May 
29, Heavy fall of snow, preceded by thunder.—On the 27th 
June, thunder very prevalent this month.—-October 14, Snow- 
storm; the snow has been off Cheviot just eleven weeks and four 
days.— W. Henderson. 
Cramuineton.—A gale of wind with a heavy fall of snow and 
rain visited this district between Sunday night and Monday 
morning, May 27 and 28.— Thomas Atthey. 
Rotupury.—May 28, much snow, the hills are white; the 
storm preceded by heavy rain and thunder on the 26th.—June 
14, very heavy fall of rain, Coquet much flooded. A great deal 
of thunder this month—July 7, the comet visible between 10 
and 10:30 p.m., in the N.N.W.—Oct. 13, snow; Oct. 14, frosty 
in the morning.—December 30, the long continued and severe 
frost yielded to the 8.E. wind.—Thomas Graham. 
Duruam.—On Monday afternoon, July 23, in driving from 
Durham to Lanchester, we encountered a severe thunder-storm, 
accompanied with hail of extrordinary size, and so destructive 
to small animals, that within the space of a mile, we counted 
on the road six small birds, either killed or stunned by the violence 
of the hail. Rev. William T. Shields, Warden Vicarage. 
The above extracts leave me but little to remark; from them 
it will be seen that a snow-storm occurred over nearly the whole 
of our district on the 28th and 29th May, preceded by a thun- 
der-storm and a falling barometer. This storm was very de- 
structive to the grouse on our moors. Not only the eggs and 
young broods but great numbers of the old birds also were killed. 
During our visit to Teesdale, we observed numbers of nests with 
