31 
with sixteen flower-heads, five of which were fully out, a sixth 
entirely gone to seed. But the spring flowers were less 
common than sometimes: snowdrops did not appear until 
Jan. 4th, yellow aconite on the 16th, after my departure, and 
crocuses on the 24th. In 1881-2, these flowered by Jan. 1st 
and Dec. 16th, respectively, the snowdrop by the 28th. Of 
wild flowers, 31 out of 88 were spring growths. The difference 
was due to milder December weather in 1881, and its con¬ 
tinuance into January. Where, as then, no recent winter was 
so mild as this up to Christmas, no winter, not even that of 
1855, has been so continuously severe since 
The thermometer did not sink below 20° until Jan. 10th, and 
the next three days, touching 11° on the 11th. The Ouse bore 
on Saturday and Sunday, the 12th and 13th. After the partial 
thaw of the next week, it again went below 20° from the 28th 
to the 31st, and from February 6th to 14th. This last period 
gave no less than four days below 10°, namely, 2*70 on the 8th, 
and 4±°, 6°, and 7° on the 9th, 10th, and 11th. At the close of 
the month there were frosts, although the screened thermometer 
did not fall to the freezing point. The maxima were never 
exceedingly low, falling below 32° twice in January, and seven 
times in February (26 on the 7th). 
Snow fell heavily more than once in January, hut February 
had remarkably little, the total amounting to 0'33in. of “rain,” 
a fall exceeding only the almost rainless February in 1891, and 
the fall of 0‘28 inches in 1846. Yet, at least a few flakes fell 
on 14 days, and on 21 days in January. These, with four 
more already this month, total up within one of the entire 
number for 1893 and 1894 combined. As a consequence, the 
unusually fine slating on the Ouse remained unspoiled. No 
one could have wished for grander ice than was afforded in some 
reaches, especially the 3J miles from Linton Locks up to 
Aldwark Bridge. Skating was possible, with a few slight 
breaks, up to Bipon. The river bore on the 9th, and was still 
safe in places till the 20th, the ice at last disappearing on the 
27th. But when barges finally broke up the ice on the Foss 
opposite the gas-works on March 1st, it was still six inches 
thick; and, the same being true of ponds, they continue to 
afford safe, if not capital, skating. 
