346 THE MEDITERRANEAN NATURALIST 
Mean Daily Range 
55 
111° 
10.4= 
Mean Temperature (deduced from Max: and Min.) 
55 
51*4° 
531° 
Mean Temperature (deduced from Dry Bulb.) 
;> 
50'3’ 
52-9° 
Adopted Mean Temperature 
55 
511° 
530° 
Mean Temperature of Evaporation 
55 
46-8° 
48‘7° 
Mean Temperature of Dew point 
55 
43-8° 
456° 
Mean Elastic force of Vapour 
55 
0286 
0306* 
Mean Weight of Vapour in a cubic foot of air 
grains 
33 
35 
Mean additional weight required for saturation 
5 « 
0’S 
0-9 
Mean degree of Humidity 
55 
81 
80 
Mean Weight of a cubic foot of air 
540"9 
542‘5 
Fall of Rain 
inches 
6643 
3594 
N umber of days on which Rain fell 
55 
20 
13 
Mean amount of Cloud(an overcast sky = 10) ... 
55 
5*7 
50 
Total number of miles of Wind indicated ... 
55 
8479 
8500 
Mean Velocity of Wind per hour... 
R pMAEKS 
Dew Point: ranged between 54'0° on the 11th and 2S’0° on the 23rd. 
miles 
11-4 
11-4 
In Sunshine: the highest reading was 106'5° on the 19th. 
On Grouud: the lowest reading was 36'5° on the 6th. 
Thunderstorms passed on the 4th 13th and 16th. 
Hail fell on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 17th, 18th, 22nd and 24th. 
Total Rainfall since last June 21 '386 inches; the average of 5 years, 14795 inches. 
Pressure has been unusually low and rainfall nearly double the average. 
2nd February 1893. 
(Signed) Jakes Scoles S. J. 
Correspondence. 
Excessive Charges 
Valletta, February 26th 1893. 
Sir, 
Many have been the complaints that have lately 
been made of the excessive charges of carrying 
companies for the transport of parcels from the 
United Kingdom to these islands, and equally 
numerous have been the complaints made of the 
extortionate demands of certain agents in this city 
for the landing of the packages that have been 
consigned to their charge. 
It appears to be a common practice, even after 
high rates of charges have been paid in England 
for transport, for the unfortunate consignee to be 
fleeced by certain agents here of sums representing 
300 and 400 per cent over and above the actual 
disbursements made by them for what they are 
pleased to call landing charges, etc: (the etc 
does not include delivery charges) and in cases 
where the whole of the charges have been forward- 
ed for collection from the consignee, really st aid- 
ing sums, the amounts of which are out of all 
proportion to the size or value of the package, are 
demanded. So grave an evil has this become that 
many firms in Malta have given up their agencies 
rather than countenance such reprehensible and 
unconscionable methods of doing business. There 
is, however, no redress for the victims. 
Having been sharply bitten upon several oc- 
casions by these gentry I should esteem it a favour 
if you would give publicity to this letter in order 
that it may serve as a warning to the public. 
Yours faithfully. 
M. J. Ruston. 
(We can fully endorse the statements made by 
our correspondent. 117 skull hare mote to say on 
tins subject in our nest issue. In the mean time 
■me would adrise ovr cor respondents tv soul their 
parcels through the Parcel-post, through the P. ami 
0. agency, or through Messrs Morgan i0 Co. of 
P< nchurch St. London. Ed. VI - N. 
Editor J. H. Cooke, B. Sc., F.G.S., Malta. 
