XIV 
REPORT OF THE 
Ornithology. —The collection of British Birds is being 
added to year by year, but many gaps remain. Many of the 
specimens obtained during 1899 have been cased and put into 
the Gallery. The Honorary Curator is making a full cata¬ 
logue of the British Birds in the Museum, giving history and 
reference where these are known. The first instalment of 
this catalogue will be found on pp. 1—9 of this Report. 
Another very useful work undertaken by the Honorarv 
Curator, in conjunction with Mr. Oxley Grabham, is the 
division of the foreign birds into geographical groups. It is 
hoped that in a short time a series will be exhibited illustrating 
Dr. Sclater's well known division of the earth into provinces. 
Meteorology. —1899 must be reckoned on the whole a 
good year. 
Temperature was marked by a greater range than in 1898, 
the spring months having a lower, and the summer months a 
much higher temperature, the annual mean temperature being 
48*9 as against 49’5. The fine weather during June, July, 
August, rapidly ripened the various crops, though the yield 
was probably disappointing owing to deficient rainfall. The 
lowest temperature was recorded on December 16th, when 
14° F. was registered, and the highest on August 25th when 
86*0° F. was the reading. The maximum temperatures of June, 
July, August, and September were 8i°, 83°, 86°, 8o°. The 
temperature of the later months of the year was much lower 
than for 1898. 
A Mean Pressure of 29*949 has been recorded, as against 
29^45 for 1898, January and April being lowest with 29*748 
and 29765 respectively, and August highest with 30*104. The 
extreme range of pressure is 2*385 inches as against 1*782 for 
1898. 
Owing to an accident to the Sunshine Recorder caused by 
a severe gale, the records of Bright Sunshine have not been 
continued between March and December. The instrument 
has however been repaired and replaced, and the observations 
have been resumed. For the first three months there was a 
decided fall-off in the hours observed. 
Rain or Snow fell on 1S2 days in 1899, 8 above the average. 
The total fall of 22*400 being again less (by 1*330 inches) 
