272 CLIMATOLOGICAL REPORT, 1868, 



able, in its next, or in a subsequent, report, to show how these 

 propositions accord with the phenomena exhibited in our north- 

 ern counties, and along our extended coast-line. It is evident 

 that should they prove generally and universally correct, their 

 importance to all classes of the community, in a practical point 

 of view, can scarcely be over-estimated. 



In recording the direction of the wind it should always be 

 given according to the true points of the horizon, and not ac- 

 cording to the compass points, since the compass needle, in this 

 country, does not point to the north, and its error is perpetually 

 altering. The cardinal points, also, fixed under vanes, are 

 rarely correct ; frequently they are very far indeed from the 

 truth. Vanes, too, themselves are of little use ; for, unless they 

 are frequently attended to, they grow stiff, and require a consi- 

 derable amount of wind to move them. For all these reasons, 

 and for others, it is far better in all cases to take the direction 

 of the wind, whenever practicable, from the clouds, the lower 

 stratum being regarded when different currents are prevailing 

 in the upper regions of the atmosphere, and to refer their mo- 

 tion to fixed points on the surface of the earth, the bearings 

 of which from each other the observer has previously settled 

 for himself. The easiest way to do this is by observing the 

 shadow of the sun at noon, that is to say, at the instant when 

 the sun is on the meridian of the place of observation. That 

 will rarely be at noon by Greenwich Mean Time. The longi- 

 tude, and the equation of time, must both be allowed for. 



The importance of the preceding remarks will probably be felt 

 upon a careful scrutiny of the annexed tables, reduced from the 

 copious returns furnished to the Club. Though, in many cases, 

 the striking agreement of the results is most remarkable, in other 

 cases there are anomalies which, in all probability, have arisen 

 from some or other of the causes just indicated. 



NOTES ON THE FLOWERING OF PLANTS, &c. 



Seaham. — There was a remarkable absence of honey dew dur- 

 ing 1868, and very little blight on either trees or shrubs. The 



