Meteorological Observations. 55 



The greatest heat was 85° 8 on August 22nd ; the greatest 

 cold — 20° .4 on January 6th Q ; the extreme range of temperature 

 forthe year was therefore 106 Q .2. The greatest range of the 

 thermometer in one day was 45°- on January 13th ; the least 

 range in one day was 2 Q .8 May 22nd. The warmest day was 

 July 5th, the mean temperature (from max. and min.) being 70 Q 

 .15 ; the coldest day was January 5th, the mean temperature 

 being 15° .65 below zero. The highest barometer-reading was 

 30.789 on December 23rd ; the lowest 28.971 on September 

 25th, giving a range of 1.818 inches for the year. The lowest 

 relative humidity was 28 on May 18th and 19th. The greatest 

 mileage of wind recorded in one hour was 45 on January 21st ; 

 its greatest velocity was at the rate of 60 miles per hour on Jan- 

 uary 18th. 



The sleighing of the winter closed on April 6th. The first 

 snow of the autumn fell on November 12th, but was inappre- 

 ciable ; the first noticeable snow was on November 13th. The 

 first river-craft arrived in port on April 27th. Ferries began 

 running on April 28th. Navigation was open on May 4th. 

 Auroras were observed on 39 nights. Lunar coronas were 

 observed on 3 nights ; lunar halos on 14 nights ; solar halos on 3 

 days; hoar-frost on 24 days; fogs on 10 days; thunder-storms 

 on 16 days, and lightning without thunder on 2 days ; brilliant 

 clear red sky on 6 days. 



VI. Notes on some Antiferments.* 

 By J. T. Donald, M.A. 



The liability of many of our articles of food to change, especially 

 in warm weather, has from very early times, incited men to seek 

 for some substances that will prevent this change. Such sub- 

 stances receive the general name of antiseptics or antiferments, and 

 many of them are well known. New compounds, or at least mix- 

 tures of well-known antiferments with new names, are at intervals 

 presented to the public, who are assured that each new one in 

 turn is far superior to any hitherto employed. 



* Read before the Natural History Society, Montreal, January, 1884 # 



