PROCEEDINGS OF THE PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
55 
hills, which, scouring over the plain intervening between 
these hills and us, brings all the dry vegetation it meets 
with on its way south, until it strikes the vapour brought 
from south and east, which it casts in dense sheets of rain 
on the stiff clay soil in and around our neighbourhood. 
So much for the first part of my subject. 
Now, as to the conditions of local meteorology. Though 
the Fair City has made many strides in various things, yet 
in this, one of the most interesting of studies, she has made 
no real progress; rather the reverse is the ease. Previous to 
my taking up the observations, they were made by General 
Lindsay at Craigie; and since I gave it up, Mr J. F. Pullar 
is working away at Rosebank with a set of instruments. 
The position of Kosebank is, however, rather elevated ; 
and though observations there are better than no ob¬ 
servations at all, yet it does not come under the same 
influences as we do at a lower level, being sheltered 
by the hill at its back, — sloping to the south and 
south-west winds; and though not without the influence 
of fog and hoar-frost from the river, still they are more 
rare than down in the city, and not nearly as dense 
when they do reach as high, nor yet by any means of so 
frequent occurrence. Dr Bower makes some observations 
for himself, I understand, at his residence. There are also 
rain-gauges at the Seminaries, and in some parts of higher 
Bridgend; as also at Methven Castle and Scone Gardens. 
The adjacent station of the English Society at Glenalmond 
College was very complete in Dr Robinson’s time, and re¬ 
ported regularly to the office of that Society. Stations of 
the Scottish Society are to be found scattered throughout 
the county—at Trinity-Gask, at Auchterarder, at Crieff, 
and Coupar-Angus, of which latter the astronomical rail¬ 
way porter has some charge. 
I have found great benefit from the reports of the night- 
watchmen conneeted with the General Prison, who reported 
the fall of meteors, thunder-storms, lightning, and auroras 
occurring during the night, and occasionally that very beauti¬ 
ful phenomenon—a lunar rainbow. I think our policemen 
mightoftenbe as profitably employed taking a glintupwards 
during thecourse of their midnight patrols, as hanging their 
heads over the fumes of their lamps. I find that, without 
any instruction to do so, such men, out of dead weariness, 
do note such things; and I think it would add very much 
to what we do know, if what could be no great trouble to 
them could be carried into practice. 
2. “Notes on the Season.” By Dr Buchanan White, 
F.L.S. 
As relating in some degree to the subject which 
Mr Moncur has just brought before us in so inter¬ 
esting a form, I have thought that a few notes on the 
mildness of the season, as exemplified by the flowering of 
certain plants, might not be amiss. I daresay that many 
of you have noticed in the papers lately various paragraphs 
relating to certain plants being in flower, though in most 
cases there is nothing very remarkable in the examples 
given, except in the contrast that this winter has hitherto 
presented to those of late years. Moreover, if such obser¬ 
vations are to be of any real value, record should be made 
of the situation, soil, &c., of the spot in which the plant is 
growing; and when the phenomena of one year are to be 
compared with those of another, it is very desirable that, 
when possible, the observations should be made on the 
same individual plant. Those who have given any atten¬ 
tion to the leafing of trees or flowering of plants cannot 
fail to have observed, how, apart from the accidents of 
situation and soil, some individuals—in no very evident 
way more favoured than their neighbours—are yet always 
in advance of them. For example, there is a horse chest¬ 
nut,—the first of the row of trees on the Bowerswell Road 
—which I have now w atched for several years, and which 
is always earlier than any other tree that I have seen in 
this neighbourhood. It is interesting to note this, but if 
it was desired to obtain a fair idea of the usual time of the 
leafing of the horse chestnut in this neighbourhood, it 
would be better, I think, to select some other tree than 
the one I have just mentioned, for observation. At the 
same time, an individual tree should be selected. 
The specimens I now show do not, I fear, prove very much 
beyond the fact that this winter is somewhat milder than 
those we have lately experienced, far though in some cases 
I am able to tell you the dates of flowering in previous 
years, yet as—from alterations in my “ rock-garden”—the 
situation of the plants is somewhat different, and the indi¬ 
viduals from which they are taken are not the same, the 
comparison is scarcely a just one:— 
1878 
1879 
1880 
1881 
1882 
Feb. 
9 
Mar. 
7 
Jan. 
] 
Mar. 
15 
Jan. 
1 
Feb. 
9 
Apr. 
12 
Mar. 
23 
Apr. 
5 
Jan. 
1 
Jan. 
1 
Mar. 
20 
Feb. 
25 
Apr. 
15 
Jan. 
1 
Mar. 
25 
Apr. 
20 
Mar. 
5 
Apr. 
12 
Jan. 
1 
1 
Feb. 
7 
Feb. 
9 
Apr. 
15 
Jan. 
1 
Jan. 
Mar. 
10 
Apr. 
17 
Apr. 
29 
Jan. 
1 
Feb. 
6 
Feb. 
28 
Feb. 
18 
Apr. 
1 
Jan. 
1 
Jan. 
1 
Jan. 
7 
Apr. 
Jan. 
1 
Apr. 
6 
Jan. 
1 
Jan. 
1 
Jan. 
1 
Daisy ( Beilis per- > 
ennis), .j 
Anbrietia purpurea,.. 
Arabia procurrens,... 
Arabisalbida,. 
Potentilla alba. 
Veronica rupestris,.. 
PoteDtilla fragari- ) 
astrum. ( 
Senecio vulgaris) 
(Groundsel), .... f 
Viola odorata( Violet) 
Primula vulgaris) 
(Polyanthus),.... f 
China Roses. 
‘ Christmas Roses,”.. 
In addition to these, several other species are in bud, 
