1 58 Meteorological Journal for July. 



degrees higher than the mean of July for the last ten years. 

 The mean temperature of spring water has increased nearly 

 two degrees this month. 



In this neighbourhood the wheat harvest was commenced 

 generally by the 24th, and is now (August 2nd) nearly all got 

 in. From almost all parts of the country there are satisfactory 

 accounts of the good quality and abundant crops of wheat. 

 The barleys and oats on high lands and light soils are said to 

 be stunted, and generally deficient, in consequence of the long 

 drought. 



During the whole month insects of the genus Cocci?idla, 

 or Lady-bird, were very numerous here, and in the neigh- 

 bouring towns : they increased in number till the 20th, when 

 they nearly covered the railings around the fortifications ; they 

 were also on the ground and in the fields and gardens in 

 great numbers. They were variously spotted, some had only 

 two spots, some seven, and others eleven ; and they were dif- 

 ferently coloured*. In the hottest sunny days they were much 

 on the wing, and were more numerous than the common flies. 

 They are not injurious to vegetation, as they destroy the ani- 

 malcule thereon, and generally feed on grass and on the blight 

 upon fruit-trees. They prefer being in the sun's rays to shady 

 places ; but they can endure the most rigorous weather, per- 

 haps from their coleopterous state, several of the seven- 

 spotted ones having survived the inclemency of the last winter 

 in an open garden. The larva? of Lady-birds do not thrive, 

 except in a long continuance of dry and warm summer weather. 

 It is now about eight years since they last swarmed here and 

 throughout this county, the summer of 1818 having been re- 

 markably hot and dry. 



The atmospheric and meteoric phenomena that have come 

 within our observation this month, are one parhelion, one 

 lunar and two solar halos, eleven meteors, vivid lightning 

 throughout the nights of the 4th and 30th, which overspread 

 the whole hemisphere, and enlightened the attenuated parts of 

 the passing clouds; thunder on the 14th and 30th; and three 

 gales of wind ; two from S.W., and one from the North. 



* C. 2-punclata, 7-punctata, W-punctata, and some species of the section 

 with a black ground, or of that with white spots on a red ground, are doubt- 

 less intended by our respected correspondent. We are informed by Mr. 

 Haworth that the 7 -punctata: have prevailed in a similar manner in the corn- 

 fields in Norfolk, where their larva? were so abundant in July, as to be trod- 

 den under foot at every step : whereas in a former year mentioned in 

 Mr. Haworth's paper on Coccinella in the Transactions of the Entomologi- 

 cal Society, it was the species 2-ptmctata that so remarkably abounded. 



Their eating grass seems questionable : See the abovementioned paper 

 by Mr. Haworth. — Edit. 



Numerical 



