COUNCIL FOR IQ 02 . 
13 
inches respectfully. The extreme range of pressure being 
2*269 inches, as against 1*954 inches; in 1891 the highest 
reading being taken on January 31st, 30*945 inches at 9 p.m., 
and the lowest 28*676 on December 29th at 9 p.m. 
Rain or Snow (0*005 inches or over) fell on 192 days, 5 fewer 
than in 1901, the total rainfall for the year being only 18*69 
inches, a falling-off of 1*83 inches as compared with 1901, 
which was itself 5*42 inches below the previous year. It 
deserves attention, in face of the oft-repeated statement that 
York is a very wet place. Observations show that York is 
among the places of lowest rainfall in the Kingdom. The 
heaviest fall occurred on April 15th, when *86 inches fell, little 
more than half of the heaviest fall of the previous year. In no 
single month was the rainfall 2*5 in. Popular impressions are 
thus disproved by exact observation. The wettest of our 
months was July with 2*31 inches, and as May and June were 
close behind it, it may be that the impressions of cricketers 
have stamped the whole year. 
The cumulative totals since 1841 are now:—August 166*28 
inches, October 164*95 inches, July 157*00 inches. The 
Observation of Winds show that only on three days has there 
been a “gale,” whilst the chief air-currents have been 
W. (172), S. (134), N. (122), E. (76), S.W. (70). Days of 
clear sky reach only 31 as against 59, whilst overcast 
reaches 142 days as against 106, the mean amount of cloud 
being 6*6 as compared with 5*8. 
The Sunshine Returns for 1900 were incomplete, but com¬ 
paring the 8 completed months (May —- December) there is a 
falling-off for 1902 of 224*5 hours of sunshine, a loss of energy 
which nothing artificial can re-place. 
Mineralogy. —The collections of Minerals, &c., are in good 
order, but there has been no material increase in the number 
of specimens during the year 1902. We have to thank 
Mr. Abbott for an interesting series of concretions from the 
Magn esian Limestone of county Durham. 
Ornithology. —Ihe collections in the • department have 
been enriched by an addition of unusual importance. The 
Hon. Curator, Mr. James Backhouse, has presented to the 
