30 
(except y® famous hot Saturday on y® 11th of June, 1748, and 
certainly the hottest days together from y® 6th inclusive.” 
Of the severe winters, that of 1769 — 40 is the most remarkable. 
The cold commenced on the 5th of November, with snow and 
frost, which continued a fortnight. On the night of the 25th of 
December, the very severe season set in, and the ice then formed 
was not quite gone till the 12th of March following, having con- 
tinued 79 days, nor did the snow (which fell plentifully in the 
beginning of January) melt entirely till the frost ended. Many 
interesting particulars are added in the Journal from other dis- 
tricts. May-day was as cold as Christmas generally is ; on the 
5th there was snow and ice, and on the 22 nd of May a white 
frost. 
1762. January was a fine open month. February, frost and 
some snow to the 16th, when the weather became very bad, and 
snow daily till the 6th of March. “This was so great snow that 
many people perished by it.” On the 30th and 31st of March 
snow, and on the 30th thunder. The first thirteen days of April 
cool and frosty ; thence to the end of the month mostly good 
weather, but few showers. May, the first fourteen days cool, with 
easterly winds, then seasonable, with showers to the end. 
The year 1771 was a very remarkable one, no fewer than eight 
of the phenomena registered occurring later that spring than any 
other. I give the extract from the Journal in full : — 
“1771. January. The first two or three days of the year 
were mild, then began a severe time ; y* 7th Th.* + 4, 8th near 4,. 
9tli y® snow was ten inches deep on the plain ; 10th Th. 6 + the 
snow last night + 7 in., and 15 on y® plain, lltli little snow, N.E. 
and Th. near 16 below 0, viz., y e lowest i ever saw it, except y® 
19th January, 1767, when it was 17. The ice from about five 
o’clock last evening to nine this morning in my horse pond 2| 
inches thick ; y e 12th Th. + 5, 13th and 14tli 5, 15th + 6, 16th 6, 
17th near 6, 18tli near 5, 19th 3. This very severe weather was 
mostly N.E. Then a week of little snow or frost; 27tli little 
snow and snowdrop F., 28th much snow, S.E., 29th Th. 2. X.B. 
These marks are below 0. 
* Below zero of centri grade seems here to be intended ; the sign -f- is 
frequently used to express “ more than,” See the remark on the prolonged 
note of the *' dawhawk,” p. 33. 
