80 ALLrSON ON METEOEOLOOT. 



earlier blossoms being a greater distance behindhand, and the 

 later ones, as the month progressed, gradually gaining up to 

 their usual period, and in some instances fully reaching it. The 

 shad seldom vary more than a day or two, and in 1867 put in an 

 appearance in the Avon on their usual day, the 15th. 



July. I have never recorded, nor have I heard any mention 

 of so wet a July as that of ISGT. Rain fell on 22 days, cover- 

 ing in all over 143 hours, and from the 15th to olst but one 

 entirely dry day occurred. The 4th, loth and 26th w^ere very 

 wet days ; and the violent storm of 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st 

 was a rare event in midsummer ; during these days the wind 

 shifted uneasily bet^veen S.E. and N.E., dwelling at times due 

 E., and on the 20th it rose occasionally with the force of a gale, 

 and the temperature became much diminished. The whole 

 month was rather cold. The mean temperature 61°. 92, — maxi- 

 mum 87°3 and minimum 46°, the latter a very low figure. W. 

 winds with still great force prevailed ; though E. N. E. and 

 S. E. were more common than usual. Three times at night was 

 thunder heard and lightning seen ; never were either very near. 

 After a light sliower on 16th, a beautifully defined double rain- 

 bow was seen o]'posite the setting sun. It was just one week 

 before we saw the sun again ; the storm noticed above occupy- 

 ing great part of the intervening time. Green peas were picked 

 in Windsor on 2nd, and were in maikct here on 4th. The 

 moss rose blossomed there on 9th, and cherries were ripe on 

 12th. New potatoes of a good size were dug in Halifax on 14th. 

 The raspberry ripened in Windsor on 23rd, currants on 25th, 

 and dahlias bloomed on 26th. Eipe blueberries picked near 

 Halifax on 31st. These dates agree very closely with those of 

 1866, but average about 10 days behind 1865, which for most 

 fruits was an early season. 



The season still continued very moist. Though August had 

 not quite so many wet days as the earlier summer months, I am 

 sure the quantity, could I have measured it, would have proved 

 largely in excess of the mean fall for the month. Two bright 

 terms and several detached dry days kept down the average of 

 cloud close to the usual amount. It was a hot month, 4°. 56 

 above the mean of 5 years ; and on the 10th the temperature 



