278 mb. a. w. breston’s meteorological notes. 
It will be seen from the above that the Winter, Spring, and 
Summer were all warmer than usual, and the Autumn somewhat 
colder. Eainfall was considerably deficient both in the Winter 
and Summer, but that of the Spring and Autumn was almost in 
exact agreement with the average, the wetness of September and 
October being counteracted by the dryness of November. 
The Year. 
The first four months -were all warmer than usual, in fact the 
mean temperature of the six months ending April 30th, was as 
much as 2.6 degrees in excess of the average. The winter was of 
a type that had not prevailed for some time past, and much 
resembled those of 1881 — 2 and 1883 — 4, particularly the former, 
the long periods of exceptionally high barometric pressure, 
accompanied by mildness and absence of snow, being very 
similar in each of those seasons. May was cold, but June and 
July were exceedingly warm. August, October, and November were 
each cold for the season, whereas September and December were 
slightly in excess of the average. The mean of the entire year 
was about a degree warmer than usual, was about a degree warmer 
than 1895, nearly similar to 1894, slightly lower than 1893, and 
higher than any of the years 1885 to 1892 inclusive. The rain- 
fall of the year was between three and four inches deficient, the 
months giving the least rain being January, February, May, and 
July, each of which yielded an inch or less. The drought was 
very severe from April 1st, to August 4th. During this period of 
18 weeks, if we except the heavy rainfall of June 9th — 10th 
(1.63 in.), there was only 3.86 in. of rain, which fell on 38 days. 
Consequently there were 86 absolutely rainless days during the 
period. The latter part of the year was attended with frequent rains, 
which although at no time exceptionally heavy, fell on an unusually 
large number of days. Taking the IS weeks from August 24th 
to December 28th, rain fell on no less than 85 days, and 
consequently only 41 days were absolutely rainless, forming 
a great contrast to the above mentioned dry period of a similar 
length. The total fall of the second period was 12.17 in. All the 
months, except May, June, and July, were more cloudy than usual. 
The absence of severe thunderstorms during the summer was also 
a feature which deserves to be chronicled. 
