470 Proc. B. F. N. C. 



July. — June ended and July came in with brilliant sunsliine. It began with 

 the promise of great summer heat, but faUed to keep that promise. The highest 

 figures touched were 85 degrees on the 1st and 81 degrees on the 2nd. These 

 two days were also the days of greatest heat of the year. The deep springs 

 were lower than is usual for this month of the year, which is curious considering 

 the heavy rainfall which we had in May, and June only one inch below the 

 average. 



August did not promise much warmth to begin with, but closed with delight- 

 ful summer weather. In the South of England the month ended with scorching 

 summer heat. 



September. — A fine and seasonable month. Second and third weeks rather 

 cold in consequence of a contrauance of E. and N.E. winds. Maximum temper- 

 ature three degrees below the average. Mean temperature 0'27 degree below the 

 average, and rainfall also slightly less than the mean. 



October continued the mild autumn weather with which September ended, 

 and the mean temperature was 2 degrees above the average ; the first month in 

 the year having an excess of average heat. Swallows last seen in this neighbour- 

 hood on the 17th, but nearly all left on the 11th. 



November came in. with change of colour, and the beautiful tints of autumn 

 everywhere apparent. It had more than the average sunshine, and only two 

 frosty nights. The mean temperature was 2*12 degrees ia excess of the average, 

 October and November were the only two months of this year which had more 

 than the average heat. November had the highest barometer of the year — 30*739 

 inches on the 24th. 



December. — Violent fluctuations of the barometer, floods and snowstorms, 

 marked the course of December. It had on "Wednesday, the 8th, a large, deep, 

 and very important atmospheric depression, with readings as low as 27*452 inches 

 (sea level, and 32 degrees). Wind south at lowest time of pressure, and at the 

 force of half a gale. It is the lowest barometer on record for this country, yet 

 there was nothing unusual — locally — in the force of the wind. Kain and 

 snowfall almost 100 tons to the acre in excess of the average. 



1886, all the year through, exceptiag October and November, there has been 

 less than the average warmth, and less than the average light, with the number 

 of calm days in excess of the mean. Mean temperature of the whole year 0*12 

 degree lower than 1885, and TIO degree below the average of seventeen years. 

 The gauge of rainfall exceeded that of last year by 8 "30 inches, with an increase 

 of 47 wet days, and exceeded the seventeen years average by 0*90 inch, with an 

 excess of 34 wet days. The year came in and ended with the rainiest months 

 of 1886. 



Lancelot Turtle. 



