694 MR ROBERT COCKBURN MOSSMAN ON 



Tabic XXIII. shows the number of times sunshine was registered on each day of 

 the year for the thirty years. May 27, June 19, and September 6 had not a single 

 sunless day in this period, but December 4 was sunless on seventeen occasions. 



Auroras. 



Table XXIV. gives the number of times the aurora was observed on each day of 

 the year for eighty-one years, the periods being 1773-81, 1817-52, and 1859-94. 



This meteor does not seem to have been systematically recorded during the other 

 years. 



The number observed in all was 332, being an average of four a year. Their distri- 

 bution throughout the year shows two maxima and two minima, the primary maximum 

 extending from about September 21 to November 23 and the secondary from February 

 18 to April 20. During the whole eighty-one years, only two auroras were observed 



from May 22 to July 26. 



Snow. 



The number of days on which snow fell for each day of the year is given in Table 

 XXV., the period under discussion being the 125 years 1770-1894. For short periods 

 that embraced in the nineteen days ending with February 12 is the snowiest, another 

 maximum occurring from March 6 to 16. Snow is comparatively uncommon after 

 April 2, but a slight increase is observable from April 9 to 12, or about the time 

 of " the borrowing days." The infrequency of snowstorms about the middle of 

 December is of interest in connection with the retardation of the autumnal fall of 

 temperature at that time. No snow fell in the months of June, July, August, and 

 September during the 125 years under review. 



Hail. 



The number of times hail fell is given for each day of the year in Table XXVI. 

 The annual period is well marked, the phenomenon being essentially a spring one 

 extending over the nine weeks ending May 10. The minimum is reached in August. It 

 is probable that true hail is of rare occurrence, most of the falls being cases of graupel 

 or soft hail. 



Thunderstorms. 



Table XXVII. shows the distribution of thunderstorms through the days of the 

 year. These phenomena temporarily increase after the termination of the cold period 

 about May 13, but the summer frequency does not begin until a fortnight later. 

 The time of absolutely greatest activity is from July 3 to August 13, after which 

 few cases are recorded. The minimum is in November and December, no case having 

 been observed from November 17 to December 5 during the 125 years. 



Lightning without thunder, Table XXVIIL, is a comparatively rare phenomenon, 

 only eighty-five cases having been recorded during the sixty-one years during which this 

 meteor was observed. As compared with thunderstorms, sheet lightning shows a relatively 



