160 ALLISON FLUCTUATION OF THE BAROMETER. 



far this wonderful power, which we call electricity, is the cause of 

 every movement of our atmosphere I am not prepared to say 

 to-night ; nor do I feel sure that I know what electricity is ; but I 

 am convinced that there is a force, (call it electric, or magnetic, or 

 what you will), continually controlling aud regulating [even perhaps 

 originating] not only the life of the atmosphere, but similarly of the 

 vegetable and the animal. I cannot now dwell on this important 

 subject, which is beyond the scope and intention of this brief paper; 

 but I wish not to be misunderstood to refer at all in the foregoing 

 remarks to the knowledge of the origin and existence of the immor- 

 tal soul of man and his responsibility as revealed to us by the one 

 true God. 



The total number of gales in 1875 was 19 — thus distributed, — 

 January 3, February 3, March 3, April 0, May 2, June, July and 

 August 0, September 2, October 3, November 3, December — this 

 is about the usual total, but the 2 in May were rather due to 

 December. A gale in Canadian Meteorology requires 30 miles per 

 hour of velocity — a pressure of 4£ lbs. per square foot ; 52 Fogs 

 were noted — the greatest number but one in ten years. July was 

 particularly a. foggy month. In other occasional phenomena I find 

 nothing peculiarly remarkable. Though not a purely Meteorologi- 

 cal point I note the number of days when runners are more suitable 

 than wheels, as a matter of interest. In 1875 then we had 92 

 days sleighing, more than for many years ; it being unbroken, with 

 the exception of one day, from the new year to 29 March ; and 

 again having 5 days in December. 1872 is the only recent year to 

 equal this ; then we had 98 days sleighing, being half of January, 

 all February and March, 4 days in April and 19 in December. 



We now proceed to the more immediate matter of this evening, 

 the double maximum and minimum of the whole atmospheric 

 pressure, each 24 hours. But time warns that I must be brief. 

 An observer watching the action of his barometer constantly during 

 the day will always notice, should no irregular disturbance affect the 

 atmosphere at his station, a steady rise, a fall, a second rise and 

 again a gradual fall ; the same movement continuing more or less 

 while ordinary weather lasts. Beginning, say at midnight, some 



