334 Meteorology. 



point from which our winter storms come. Eain generally comes 

 accompanied with a wind from the S.. S.W. or S.E,, and also from 

 the N.E. by E. 



We have generally a few days of that poetic season, the Indian 

 Summer in November. 



" The years last lovliest smile, ' 

 That comes to fill with hope the human heart ; 

 And strengthen it to bear the storms awhile, 

 Till winter's days depart. " 



Om' snow storms of winter are from the N.E. by E., and for 

 some hom's before they form, the Eastern horizon becomes gradu- 

 ally covered with heavy strata clouds of a deep leaden hue, the 

 upper strata of clouds are generally a mixture of Cirri Cumulus 

 and Stratus, moving from the South, but the surface wind is 

 from the point I have stated N.E. by E., the wind during .these 

 storms often attain a velocity of some 30 or 40 miles per hour, 

 the barometer is falling and the thermometer somewhere about 

 zero, the Psychometer indicates an increasing amount of moisture, 

 the Electrometers indicate a very high tension of Negative Electri- 

 city, often an amount of 300 deg. in terms of Volta's No 1. Elec- 

 trometer, and sptarks are constantly passing between the receiver 

 and discliarger for hours. 



Minute b"'it perfect crystalline forms of snow commence to 

 fall, and may continue for some 48 hours, and I have seen some 

 12 or more inches of snow fall during this time. Precipitation 

 then ceases ; the wind veers always by the N. to the W., or 

 W. N.W., with a velocity of some 30 miles per hour, (this is our 

 cold term) ; and the wind carries the loose finely crystallized snow 

 in clouds before it, this is in Canadian parlance a " Pondrerie." 

 The wind is intensely cold ; the thermometer during this period 

 attains a minimum of some 30*^ below zero. The sky is partly 

 covered by cumuli clouds, with a few strati — the electrometers 

 still indicate a high tension, but of an opposite or Positive cha- 

 racter, this Westerly wind may last some 48 hours or more, and 

 lulls down at sunset ; may be of the second day into a calm. The 

 blue tint of the sky is very deep, and the rays of the setting sun 

 throws a red or orange shade on the snowy scene, and the atmos- 

 phere attains a greater dryness, the electrical action gradually 

 ceases with the wind. 



Our thunder storms of summer, which give a yearly mean of 14 



