228 METEOROLOGICAL REPORT, 1868,- 



particularly at the beginning : on the 7th the maximum tempera- 

 ture reached 92-1°, In 1846 the highest temperature recorded 

 in September was 85*4° ; and in the warmest September on re- 

 cord, that of 1865, it was only 86°. 



The mean temperature for the month was 60-5°, being 3*4° 

 lower than 1865, and 1*8° lower than in 1815, and nearly the 

 same as in the years 1779, 1795, 1818, 1846, and 1858 ; whilst 

 in all the other years since 1771 the temperature has been be- 

 low 60°. The mean temperature was 4° higher than that of the 

 preceding ninety-seven years. 



The temperature for the quarter ending September 30th was 

 63'9'', which is greatly in excess of the average. The average 

 daily excess of temperature was nearly 4°, and for the two hun- 

 dred and sixty-three days from January the 12th to September 

 the 30th, was 3|° daily. In no year since 1771 has the excess 

 of temperature been so large and for so long a period. The year 

 1779, however, closely approximated to it. 



At Kew Observatory the highest reading of the barometer for 

 the month was on the 9th, 30-319 inches ; the lowest reading 

 was on the 30th, 29*289 inches : the mean for the month was 

 29-829 inches. 



The variations in the humidity of the atmosphere were consi- 

 derable. The greatest dryness was 0-51 on the 13th; the 25th 

 showed the least, 0-94. The mean for the month was 0*74 ; 

 complete saturation being 1-00. 



Towards the end of the month heavy rain fell in nearly every 

 part of the country. Ponds and wells re-commenced to yield 

 the usual supply of water ; rivers and streams were filled. 



Wallington. — We had an abundant fall of rain this month, and 

 it penetrated far down into the soil. Grass has made extraor- 

 dinary progress. On one occasion a growth of an inch was 

 marked in the course of twenty-four hours. 



Wylam. — Very warm during the first week ; then much cooler, 

 with a good deal of rain, generally falling in the night. 



