84 
METEOROLOGICAL NOTES-NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 
METEOROLOGICAL NOTES.— January, 1885. 
The barometer was high at the commencement of the month 
(80-31)2 inches), but fell slightly till the 5th, rising again to the 7tli, 
after which it fell rapidly till the 11th (28-773 inches), and again rose 
till the 19tli, falling again gradually till the end of the month. The 
weather was, for the most part, overcast and dull, with rarely a bright 
day. The temperature was variable, but at no period of the month 
very cold. The mean was, however, nearly 2 degrees below the 
average, and 7 degrees lower than that of January, 1884, but this is 
attributable to the low maxima, which were under 40 degrees on 16 
days. The highest readings generally were on the 29th, and were as 
follows :—53-8° at Hodsock, 53-7° at Loughborough, 52-0° at Coston 
Rectory and Henley-in-Arden, and 50-8° at Strelley. 85-1° was registered 
in the rays of the sun at Loughborough on the 27th, and 76-4° at 
Hodsock on the 14th. The minimum readings were 18-6° at Hodsock 
on the 22nd, 19-0° at Coston Rectory on the 6th, 20-9° at Strelley on the 
22nd and 23rd, 21-0° at Henley-in-Arden, and 21-4° at Loughborough on 
the 22nd. On the grass 15 0° was registered at Hodsock, and 15-7° at 
Loughborough on the 22nd ; and 16-5° at Strelley on the 6th. The 
rainfall was decidedly below the average, and was confined to two 
periods—at the middle and end of the month. The total values were 
2 - 03 inches at Strelley, 2-08 inches at Henley-in-Arden, 1‘61 inches at 
Coston and Loughborough, and 1*42 inches at Hodsock. The heaviest 
fall generallv was on the 10tli, and the number of “ rainv” days varied 
from 18 to 23. Snow, in small quantities, fell on the 12th, 13th, 14th, 
and 17tli. Sunshine was very deficient. Lunar halos were seen at 
Loughborough on the 25tli and 27th. Lightning was observed at 
Coston Rectory on the 10th. Wm. Berridge, F.R. Met. Soc. 
12, Victoria Street, Loughborough. 
Jjistorj) Botes. 
MM. Fremy and Urbain on the 5tli of January brought before the 
Academie des Sciences their “ Chemical Study of the Skeleton of 
Plants.” They drew attention to cutose, the substance which covers 
and protects the aerial organs of plants, and is shown to approach the 
fatty bodies in its properties and composition. Cutose resists the 
action of energetic acids, it is insoluble in dilute alkalies, neutral 
solvents have no action upon it, but boiling alkaline liquids modify 
its conditions. This paper opens out a new field of enquiry. 
Abnormal Inflorescence of the Hazel.— My friend Mr. Frederick 
Enock, of Woking, has recently sent me a very interesting example 
of what appears to be a “ multiplication of axile organs” in the case 
of an abnormal state of the male inflorescence of the Hazel, Gorylus 
Avelhma. In this instance the branch is terminated by a truly cone¬ 
like head of catkins, about seventy in number. The catkins are 
immature, and their arrangement is quite symmetrical. An illustration 
ot a somewhat similar instance is given in Dr. Masters’ valuable 
“ Vegetable Teratology,” page 349, which will give a fair idea of this 
abnormality, except that the arrangement of the catkins in Mr. 
Enock’s specimen is more regular. This abnormal condition is 
possibly due to an over-development of male buds, with an abnormal 
suppression of the internodes; the bracts are absent in this case. 
I have never before seen a like case, and think it must be a rare 
phenomenon. — J. E. Bagnall. 
Batumi 
