92 



The Naturalist. 



Hobby {BoomvalJc). — These birds were observed on the 11th, this 

 being no doubt the date of their arrival. We watched them long 

 with our binoculars as they flew within twenty yards whilst 

 hawking flies, &c., on the heath ; and were much interested in 

 seeing how dexterously they fed on the wing by bringing the foot 

 containing the prey to the mouth. 



(To he continued.) 



Rainfall for |tobxmfor. 





Height 



of 

 gauge 

 above 



sea 

 level. 



Rain- 

 fall. 



No. 

 of 



Total Fall 

 TO Date. 



Date of 

 heaviest 



Amount 

 of 



heaviest 

 Fall. 





Days 



1879. 



1878. 



Fall. 



HUDDERSFIELD (Dalton) ... 



(J. W. Robson) 



Ft. 



350 



In. 

 1-71 



12 



26-32 



* 30-10 



11 



0-47 



Leeds ... (H. Crowther) ... 



183 



1-22 



14 







20 



0-50 



Halifax... (F. G. S. Rawson) 



360 



1-87 



14 



38-34 



42-73 







Baensley ... (T. Lister) ... 



350 



1-38 



14 



26-44 



24-57 



20 



0-39 



Ingbirchworth (do.) 



853 



2-29 



18 



34-83 



37-44 



20 



0-35 



Went WORTH Castle (do.)... 



520 



1-58 



13 



29-79 



25-71 



20 



0-35 



GOOLE ... 



25 



1-24 



14 



22-48 



22-49 



20 



0-38 



* This is the average to date for 13 years, 1866-78. 



Temperature at Huddersfield, — The following extract from the 

 Meteorological Observations for first week in December, 1879, taken at 

 the Huddersfield Cemetery, 400 feet above the level of the sea, have been 

 furnished at our request (Eds, Nat.) : — 



Date. 



Minimum 

 Night Thermometer, 

 Exposed. 



Maximum 

 Day 

 Thermometer. 





a. 



h. 



c. 



d. 



Monday, 1st December ... 



22° 



24° 



30° 



30° 



Tuesday, 2nd 



6 



10 



29 



36 



Wednesday, 3rd 



10 



12 



26 



30 



Thursday, 4th 



9 



11 



26 



34 



Friday, 5th 



15 



17 



31 



35 



Saturday, 6th 



17 



19 



26 



34 



Sunday, 7th 



11 



11 



31 



35 



a. on the grass. b. 4ft. above the ground, c. in the shade. d. in the sun. 



The above readings are from shaded thermometers placed on stands recommended 

 by the Meteorological Society for use by meteorologists when taking readings for the 

 use of that Society, and which give the true air temperature more accurately than 

 thermometers exposed to rain and snow, which read lower in consequence of the loss 

 of heat by radiation during the evaporation of moisture from the glasses. — J. Firth. 



