254 Dr Miller on the Climate 



The Comet, supposed to be that of 1664, was seen at this Observa- 

 tory on the evening of the 30th. 



First Quarter. — The mean temperature of the quarter ending 

 March 31st, is 1°*6 below the average of the previous 20 years. The 

 deaths in the town and suburb of Preston Quarter are 127, being 

 24, or 16 per cent, under the average number in the last 14 years, 

 corrected for increase of population. 



By the Registrar-General's report it appears, that " the deaths 

 throughout the kingdom in the first 3 months of this year exceeded 

 by 11,559 the deaths in the winter quarter of 1852, and by still 

 more the deaths in any previous winter, except the winters of 1847 

 and 1848, when influenza and cholera prevailed. On the average 

 of the 10 winter quarters 1843-52, the rate of mortality was 

 2 - 467 per cent. ; in the winter quarter of the present year 2*620 per 

 cent." 



April. — A fine seasonable month. Its mean temperature is 

 identical with the average of the previous 20 years. The ther- 

 mometer at 4 feet above the ground did not fall within l£° of the 

 freezing point, but a delicate instrument placed on wool on a grass 

 plot, descended to 18° on the night common to the 8th and 9th. 

 The sun shone out on 27 days. 



On the 14th, I find the following entry in the journal : — " A 

 blackbird's nest containing four and a thrush's nest with three eggs 

 were found to-day near Bridge Foot. There are as yet but few in- 

 dications of spring. The hedgerows are only beginning to bud, and 

 the only green leaves visible are those of the wild gooseberry bush 

 and woodbine. On warm banks primroses are expanding, and in con- 

 siderable numbers. Bees have begun to bear within the last few days." 



On the night of the 21st, a very fine, perfect, and sharply-de- 

 fined lunar halo, about 44° in diameter, was almost continuously 

 visible from lOh. to 14h. (2 o'clock in the morning.) 



On the following day, there was a magnificent solar halo from 

 llh. 30m. a.m. till near sunset; at 3h. 30m. p.m., the interior dimen- 

 sions of the ring taken with the altazimuth instrument, were, 

 Polar diameter, . 43° 17', 



Equatorial do., . 43° 50', 



From 5h. 45m. till near 6h. 30m., the ring was broken up into 

 several segments, the upper one being by far the brightest, and ex- 

 hibiting prismatic colours of considerable intensity. From this por- 

 tion of the ring, two faint curved rays or bands of light were thrown 

 off. At 5h. 45m., I noticed a faint mock sun, or circular patch 

 of light much brighter than the ring, and intersecting it to the left 

 of the sun, and nearly at the same altitude. The parhelion threw 

 off outwards an elongated cone or bush of white light, and an ima- 

 ginary line joining the axis of the bush and the centre of the 

 parhelion and true sun was parallel to the horizon. The halo had 

 vanished by 6h. 30m.; afterwards, a faint cone of light resembling the 



