mr. a. w. preston’s meteorological notes. 209 
October. 
October proved a mild and pleasant month throughout. 
There were fewer days with rain than in any month since 
March, and the total fall for the month was little more than 
half the average. Temperature was high throughout the 
month, reaching 71. 2° on the 2nd, and not failing to reach 
50° on any day. The nights were exceedingly warm for the 
season, the shaded thermometer not even falling to 40°. 
The absence of frost kept gardens very gay throughout the 
month, and dahlias and other autumn flowers bloomed with 
great profusion to a later date than usual. Strawberries, 
raspberries, and other summer fruits were also recorded as 
having been gathered in sheltered situations quite up to the 
end of the month. 
November. 
This month formed a great contrast to October, and was 
not only colder than usual, but was the coldest November 
since 1879 ; only three times during the last 100 years has 
so severe a November been experienced, viz., in 1851, 1871. 
and 1879. Frosts occurred on 14 nights in the screen, and 
on 27 nights on the grass, being the largest number of frosty 
nights recorded in November for many years. The rainfall 
was very heavy, the total fall having been 4.33 ins., or 1.58 
ins. above the average. Snow fell on 5 days, but the falls of 
snow were trifling, and mostly mixed with rain. In the South, 
West, and North of England there were heavy snowfalls, 
but East Anglia was fortunate in escaping these visitations. 
The contrast in mean temperature between October and 
November was great, the difference having been as much as 
14. 3 0 , whereas in an average season it should be only 5|°. 
The total eclipse of the moon on the night of November 16th 
was a very fine spectacle, and seen from a cloudless sky. 
December. 
This was another very rainy month, but differed from 
November in being exceedingly mild almost throughout, 
the excess having been as much as 4.4 0 both over the previous 
month, and above its average, the mean of November having, 
p 2 
