1903.] 



BEN NEVIS OBSERVATORY. — LOG-BOOK. 



555 



INSTRUMENTS, ETC., 1903. 



Barometers. — No. 1385 has been used for the observa- 

 tions, while No. 1252 has been held in reserve. 



Richard's Barograph, which is working well, has been 

 in use. 



Thermometers :— Dry bulbs 535541 and 1392449, and 

 Wet bulbs 535542 and 1392450 have been used; also 

 minimums 116918 in the large screen, and 1108531a 

 in the small screen. The thermometers were exposed 

 in the large (summer) screeu between 1st July and 10th 

 October, and during the rest of the year in the small 

 (winter) screen, placed on Ladder No. 2. 



The Campbell- Stokes Sunshine Recorder was in use. 

 The amounts recorded since 1st January have been 

 measured from half-hour to half -hour, instead of from 

 hour to hour as formerly. 



The Robinson Cup Anemometer was working during 

 part of June, but the observations had to be stopped, 

 owing to the flexible rod going out of repair. 



The Rainband has been observed every afternoon by 

 means of the pocket spectroscope. 



The depth of snow was measured on Post A. during 

 the greater part of the year. When it became completely 

 buried on 27th March, an extra post was nailed on to it, 

 by means of which the measurements were thereafter 

 taken. 



Photographs were occasionally taken during the first 

 part of the year with the Observatory camera, but in 

 June the camera was broken. 



The ordinary routine has been carried on without a 

 break ; occasionally an observation has been a few minutes 



late, and during stormy weather the rainfall records are 

 only approximate owing to drift. When it was impossible 

 to reach the Stevenson Screen, readings were taken of the 

 thermometer in the storm-box on the south east side of 

 the tower, and the necessary correction applied. 



The Observatory staff at present consists of : — 

 A. Rankin, J. Miller, W. Bee, W. C. Christie and 

 J. Robertson. During the year R. H. Macdougall, J. C. 

 Marr, A. Lindsay and D. Gordon were also members of 

 the regular staff. In the summer months the following 

 acted as volunteer assistants : — Messrs M'Connachie, 

 Ross and Buchanan. Messrs M. M'Philip and J. 

 Macdonald also acted as cooks. Ewen Mackinnon stayed 

 at the Observatory from July to September as Post 

 Office Clerk. Ewen MacKenzie was roadman and ticket- 

 collector throughout the summer. 



Communication has been maintained with the Low 

 Level Observatory and with the Post Office by means 

 of the telephone, which has been working fairly well. 

 In the summer the house-fittings were repaired, and the 

 house painted ; the walls were papered. Inside there has 

 been a lack of ventilation, and the difficulty at present 

 is to keep down the inside temperature. The outside 

 ladders and boxes, etc., were also painted. In October 

 the old thermometer ladder No. 2 was pulled down, and 

 a new one erected in its place. A new wooden stable 

 has also been erected on the site of the old one. 



In June it was found that the small zinc tank in 

 connection with Wragge's Well had been burst by the 

 ice; it was replaced by a wooden barrel. 



