L>4 



[January, 



would tliuilly become explicable bv the minute application of two very 

 obvious factors. Of these the more important and omni])resent is 

 certainly meteorological conditions which as a causal chain often in- 

 direct and perplexingly complicated affect one or more of the stages of 

 specific Insect life ; the other the intelligent operations of mankind acting 

 through change in Environment. 



The recent admirable ])aper contributed to these pages by Mr. G. B. 

 AValsh * deals so fully with this subject that I need not further dilate 

 upon it here, merely remarking briefly on the application of these two 

 factors in this si^ecial district. 



Our s^eneral remembrance of the weather of the last two rears 

 recalls the wet and cold summer of 1916 with its few sporadic da3'S or 

 weeks of sunshine, followed bv a very severe winter, which bes:an so 

 earh'- as to exclude any autmnn and lasted so late as to deprive us of our 

 usual hesitating and reluctant spring, so that on its passing at the end 

 of April we found om-selves suddenly in the temperature of midsummer. 

 But as such reminiscences are often misleading for phenological purposes, 

 I may perhaps be allowed to quote the detinite figures issued b\' the 

 Meteorological Office for this district, thus : — 



Mean Temperatuke F. 



1915. 



1916. 



1916. 



1917. 



July ... 51-9 



Jan. ... 34-3 



July ... 58'4 



Jan. ... 39-7 



Aug.... 51-9 



Feb. ... 33-2 



Aug. ... 61-7 



Feb. ... 33-8 



Sep. ... 47-5 



Mar. ... 37-3 



Sep. ... 55-0 



Mar. ... 32-8 



, Oct. ... 42-0 



April... 41-3 



Oct. .. 52-0 



April... 39-0 



Nov. ... 31-3 



May ... 55*4 



Nov. ... 42-9 



May ... 45-6 



Dec. ... 30-9 



June ... 59' 7 



Dec. ... 34-8 



June... 46-1 



Rainfall, inches. 



Ent, Mo. Maf?. 191'), pp. 225-2:'.2, 2.-)7-26l, 



