12 
REPORT OF THE 
I^OTANY.—The British and Foreign Herbaria are in a good 
state of preservation. 
The following flowering plants have been presented by James 
Melrose, Esq., viz :—3 Deutzia crenata. Some specimens 
of Lathifrus sylvestris by Mr. C. F. Hope; also 3 Bulrush 
Caterpillars {Sphceria Rohertsii) by Mr. J. Walker, Esq. 
The Curator ventures to express a hope that, at some future 
time, space may be found for the exhibition of such botanical 
specimens as possess a general interest. 
Meteorology.' — Temperature.-— three unusually cold 
years, 1889 has nearly reached the average. The mean of the 
9 a.m. and 9 p.m. records was 47'4 ; that of the maxima and 
minima 48 55. 
February was again the coldest month, the thermometer 
falling to 21° on the 10th; but the mean for December, 36*7°, 
was only OT higher. June, which nearly always ranks after 
July and August, was by far the hottest, averaging 59T°, or 
5’3° warmer than last year,* and warmer than any June since 
1869 ; but on no day in the year did the temperature reach 80°. 
Bright Sunshine. —The total, 1144 hours, was less than any 
of our 9 years, except 1885. June alone was a sunny month, 
the 238 hours representing 477o of the total amount possible. 
This has only been exceeded in May, 1881 and 1882, when 
the respective records were 547= and 557o. In both January 
and February some 8 hours above the average were recorded, 
but even then the respective amounts only reach 1 and 2 hours 
per day. 
Rain, falling on 178 days, which was fewer than usual, gave 
a total depth of 23'40 inches, against 24*69, on a 69 years’ mean. 
On May 10th, 1*51 inches fell, or more than double the total 
fall in November. 
Floods. Only on October 24th (10ft. 3in.) was more than 
7ft. registered. 
The Barometer had a sliglitly greater range than last year. 
The high means in November and December exceed by half 
an inch the low value for October. The only serious storm 
* The mean for June and July, last year, should have been given 64'6°, 
which is 0*2® instead of 1*2®, lower than in 1871. 
