14 
REPORT OF THE 
Tnsecta and Crustacea.—The Allis Collection of Lepidoptera 
has been carefully tended, and is in good condition. In the 
other orders of Insects, and also in Crustacea, the collections 
are defective, and have received no additions during the year. 
The CTU’ator of Comparative Anatomy reports that the 
valuable collection under his care remains in much the same 
condition as last year. It still needs the attention of a shilled 
Articulator, and it is hoped that the finances of the Society may 
soon admit of this being obtained. 
The Curator of Botany reports that the British and Foreign 
Herbaria are in a fair state of preservation. There have been 
no additions to this department during the year. 
The Curator regrets that the severe winter has destroyed 
many of the branches of the Laurels and Aucuhas in the 
Gardens, hut hopes that, if the spring is fine, they may spring 
up from the roots. The reports from France and Belgium 
testify to the same facts, and state also that the terminal 
branches of the Fruit Trees have also suffered. 
METEOEOLOGICAL EEPOET, 1879. 
The mean height of the mercurial column corrected to 32° 
Fahrenheit, and mean sea level was 29'923 ; the minimmn 
reading, which occurred on the 10th February, was 28*790 ; the 
maximum, on December 13th, 30*739, and the range, therefore, 
1*949. The mean temperature for the year was 45*17, or 2*56 
below a mean of 50 years. The mean of the three warmest 
months of the year, June, July, and August, was only 57°'3, 
and the highest temperature recorded during the same period 
75°. In four nights of the month of May the thermometer 
registered under 32°, namely 30° on the 2nd, 29° on the 3rd, 
32° on the 5th, and 27° on the 10th. The means of January 
and December were only 31°*7 and 30°*8 respectively, and it 
was in the latter month that the most severe cold was felt, the 
lowest readings being 8° on the 4th, 3° on the 8th, and 0° on 
the 7th, in the Museum Gardens ; hut in several localities around 
York considerably lower observations were recorded, for example. 
