66 
INTERCELLULAR RELATIONS OF PROTOPLASTS. 
neighbour cell run to the equivalent pit in its wall, these are, 
however, the exception. The author’s observations therefore 
fail to show any special relation of the protoplasm to the pits. 
In his concluding remarks he suggests two possible explana¬ 
tions of these phenomena:—“ (1) That the main mass of 
protoplasm on retreating may leave the cell-wall still com¬ 
pletely lined with a thin film of protoplasm; (2) that the 
peripheral part of the protoplasm being entangled, as a 
network, among the deposited microsomata, may, on the 
contraction of the main mass, be drawn out at the points of 
entanglement into fine strings like those observed, while the 
surface of the wall is for the most part left free.” To the 
second of these views the author leans. 
(To be continued.) 
METEOROLOGICAL NOTES.— January, 1884. 
A raw, easterly wind, on the 1st, seemed to indicate a period of 
cold weather, but the wind soon veered to southward, and the tem¬ 
perature continued relatively high to the end of the month. The 
barometer was unsteady at the commencement of the month, with a 
downward tendency ; after touching 29*72 inches on the 6th, it rose 
by a succession of jerks to 30*62 inches on the 16th. From the 21st the 
mercury fell rapidly till the 23rd, when a sudden rise was succeeded 
by a fall, most unusual in its depth. At 6 p.m. on the 26th the 
corrected readings were :—at Loughborough, 28*377 inches; at Strelley, 
28*322 inches; at Hodsock, 28*293 inches. This very low reading was 
accompanied by gales, much lightning, and squally showers of rain 
and hail. A rapid rise succeeded, but at the close of the month the 
mercury was unsteady. Temperature was very uniform ; air-frosts on 
only one or two occasions. A minimum of 30°.0 was recorded at 
Coston Rectory on the 16th, while a maximum of 51°.5 was registered 
at Hodsock on the 22nd. The mean temperature was consequently 
high, 5° to 6° above the average, and 15° higher than that of January, 
1881, in which month the mean of maxima was 4° lower than the 
mean of minima of the past month. The rain-fall was rather higher 
than the average, the falls of snow few and slight. Sunshine was 
very deficient, and the atmosphere was generally cloudy and misty. 
Strong winds prevailed through the month, and gales were experienced 
from the 22nd to the 26th. Lunar halos were observed at Lough¬ 
borough on the 7th and 10th. The mildness of the season caused 
a premature development of vegetation, and it was by no means 
uncommon to find spring flowers blooming in what should be mid¬ 
winter. A continuance of mild weather through the spring may be 
favourable to the crops, but late frosts will assuredly be particularly 
injurious. Wm. Berridge, F. R. Met. Soc. 
12, Victoria Street, Loughborough, 
