318 Proceedings of Societies. 



In Novemler, the mean temperature was 4° -2 above the average, 

 which increase was very unequally distributed between day and 

 night, — the mean temperature of the day being 5°-2, and of the 

 night only 3°'2 above the mean of the month. This temperature 

 is not only greatly above the average, but it is also about a degi'ee 

 and a-half higher than any previouslj^ recorded November, and 6°' 6 

 higher than the November of 1862. 



In December, the mean temperature was 3°'5 above the average, 

 and the manner of its distribution between day and night similar 

 to November, — the mean of the day being 4°-2, and of the night 

 2°-5 above the average. 



Hence the characteristic feature of the weather of this period is 

 the unprecedentedly high temperature during the day in Novem- 

 ber and December, — a point to which special attention is directed. 



Table II. gi^es the highest temperature of the day, and Table 

 III. the lowest temperature of the night, in each week of the period 

 under consideration. 



Table lY. gives the number of nights each week on which the 

 temperature at the Botanic G-arden fell to freezing or lower, and 

 an asterisk is put to mark those cases when it fell to at least 6°'0 

 below freezing. 



These tables furnish the data from which an explanation ■ may 

 be had of the remarkable vegetation of December last, in so far as 

 that depended on the character of the then current weather. , The 

 explanation is twofold — first, the high temperature during the day 

 in November and December ; and, secondly, the comparative absence 

 of frost during the night. 



This remarkably high temperature was preceded by a period of 

 cold weather, extending from the 29th of October to the 12th of 

 November, during which frosts were of frequent occurrence. At 

 Balfour the thermometer, four feet above the ground, and pro- 

 tected, fell to 26°-5 ; and at the Botanic G-arden. four feet above 

 the ground, but exposed, it fell to 23°-5, and indicated freezing on 

 ten nights. Though dahlias and other plants were destroyed, yet 

 many survived, owing, it is supposed, to the remarkably dry state of 

 the weather, and to the very brief periods during which the severity 

 of the cold in each instance lasted. This cold period also con- 

 tributed to the remarkable growth which followed, since by playing 

 the part of winter, though in a modified degree, it arrested the vital 

 functions, and gave plants the benefit of a fresh start with the 

 warmth which succeeded. 



The unprecedentedly high temperature began on the 13th of 

 November, and continued with scarcely any interruption till Christ- 

 mas : see Table 11. Of this period the warmest part extended from 

 the 13th of November to the end of the month, during which the 

 mean temperature of the day was 52°*5, or 9°*0 above the average. 

 This day temperature usually prevails about the end of April or 

 beginning of May, when the temperature of the night is much lower 

 than obtained in November last. 



In the end of November and beginning of December (see Tables 



