280 
Proceedings of Royal Society of Edinburgh. [sess. 
The Intermediate Observing Station on Ben Nevis. 
By T. S. Muir, M.A. 
(Read January 4, 1897.) 
It has for some time been the design of the Council of the 
Scottish Meteorological Society to establish on Ben Nevis a third 
observing station, supplementary to those at the summit and at 
Fort- William ; and in the autumn of last year this design was 
partially realised. A site was not acquired so easily as might have 
been expected ; hut, after some disappointment, the Council, on the 
advice of Dr Buchan, who in person inspected the ground, fixed 
upon the best situation obtainable in the circumstances. Before 
the end of August the observer was in residence, hut as the baro- 
meter did not arrive till the last day of the month, the complete 
record of observations extends only from the 1st to the 23rd 
September — 23 days in all. The total number of readings taken 
was 186, an average of slightly more than 8 every 24 hours. 
Six of those observations were made at the hours of 9, 10, 12, 14, 
18, and 21, while additional readings ran in a regular series between 
those fixed periods; thus accumulating a mass of facts for all 
times of the day and in various kinds of weather. The gaps are 
accounted for by the fact that, combined with my meteorological 
duties, were the functions of cook and maid-of -all- work, which 
occasionally rendered it impossible for me to leave the base of 
operations. Further, it was set down in my instructions that it 
was unnecessary to go out during continued bad weather, except at 
the statutory periods above mentioned ; and that, in the event of 
extra readings being required during storms, a message would be 
sent from head-quarters. 
The instruments used were : 
1. A Fortin barometer with extended scale, by Casella, 
London. 
2. Dry and wet bulb, maximum and minimum thermometers. 
3. Two 5-inch rain-gauges. 
