Mr James Tait on the Rainfall of 1872. 443 



the main rachis ; all parts of rachis and branches very rough 

 with forward teeth. Spilcelets nearly £ in. long. Glumes papery, 

 a little longer than the pales, linear-lanceolate, strongly apiculate, 

 nearly equal, the upper very slightly longer, purplish towards 

 the apex, 1 -veined, vein green, laterally compressed, keeled, 

 keel rough especially of the lower glume. Flower single, very 

 shortly stalked, surrounded with white hairs arising from the 

 stalk about half or a little more than half the length of the flower, 

 club-shaped rudiment of second flower clothed with similar hairs. 

 Pales very nearly equal, thin, papery ; the lower faintly 5-veined, 

 with two short projecting teeth at the apex, and a sharp, short 

 awn between them slightly exceeding the teeth ; the upper 4- 

 veined, terminated by two sharp teeth. Lodicules linear, attenu- 

 ated, more than half the length of the stigmas. Stamens three 

 (rarely two ?) anthers £ in. long, narrow, bright yellow. Stigmas 

 two, slightly united below, feathery." 



On the Rainfall of 1872. By Mr James Tait. 



The meteorology of the year 1872 will be remembered for 

 many years as the most remarkable that has been witnessed 

 during the present century. All over Britain the weather 

 has been of the most peculiar character. The month of 

 January passed away without frost or snow, except a fall of 

 snow on the 5th, which melted the next, and frost on the 6th, 

 8th, 15th, 21st, and 22nd. In the first week of February not 

 a speck of snow could be seen on the Cheviot hills ; and all 

 that month no snow covered the low grounds, but the 

 Cheviots were covered on the 17th and 18th, though it 

 speedily disappeared. The highest flood of the season in the 

 Tweed was on the 24th February. There was no frost dur- 

 ing the month, and the lapwing was heard in the neighbour- 

 hood of Kelso on the 19th. The first week of March passed 

 without either frost or snow ; but on the 9th there were 

 showers of hail, and on the morning of the 10th hard frost, 

 which speedily gave way ; and till the 18th the weather was 

 very mild. At that date sleet and hail showers came on, and 

 from the 20th to the 28th much snow fell, which on the 

 hills accumulated to a great depth. On the night of the 25th 

 and 26th the frost was very severe, and the gooseberry 

 blossom was seriously injured. At the same time the finches 



