METEOROLOGY ; IMPORTATIONS OF GRAIN ; SALES OF 
BRITISH WHEAT ; PRICES OF CORN AND OTHER 
PRODUCE; AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS; AND STA- 
TISTICS OF DAIRY PRODUCE. 
[Tlie facts are derived chiefly from the Meteorological Bejtorts of Mr. 
GlaisheB, and the Returns of the Boabd of Trade and of the Inspector- 
Gesebal of Imports and Exports.] 
METEOROLOGY.— 1877. 
First Quarter {January, Februanj, March). — The meteorology of 
the quarter was in many respects exceptional. The readings of the 
barometer were nnusually low and the weather stormy ; the tempe- 
rature was high during Januarj- and February ; rain fell almost 
continuously, and was especiallj' excessive in January; and the 
amount of sunshine was remarkably small. Floods generally pre- 
vailed in the early part of January ; and thunder-storms occurred 
on 6 days in January, 3 days in February, and 6 days in ^March. 
The high temperature which had prevailed with scarcely an excep- 
tion from the middle of November until the end of the year, con- 
tinued throughout January and until the 19th February. During 
the 99 days commencing 13th November and ending 19th February 
the average daily excess of temperature was equal to 5°'l ; and the 
excess during the last 50 of these days, commencing 1st January, 
was 6''1. Between the 20th February' and 23rd March, short 
periods of high and low temperature alternated, but the mean of 
the 26 days showed a daily defect of 2j°. The last 8 days of the 
quarter were uniformly warm, and the average daily excess 2°-9. 
The winter of 1876-7 was most exceptionally mild; the mean 
temperature of the three months, December, January, and Feb- 
ruary averaging 43°-4 ; this mean exceeded by 5°'4 the average for 
the corresponding period in 100 years ; and the lowest recorded 
temperature fell below the freezing-point of water on only 12 days 
during these three months. The mean temperature of the quarter 
ending March last averaged 42°*3, and exceeded by 3°"6 the average 
VOL. XIV. — S. S. A 
