180 
J. HOPKINSOX-PHEN©LOGICAL PHENOMENA. 
the end of spring, and half as much backward in summer as in the 
latter part of spring. 
Taking each 10 species in succession there is not much difference 
in the first four groups, but there is a great change to the fifth, 
which is not nearly so backward as the fourth, while there is a 
very slight difference between the fifth and sixth. The average 
for February (22nd Jan. to 9th March) is 16*7 days late; for 
March (13th March to 20th April) 15*4 days late; for April (21st 
April to 15th May) 13*8 days late; for May (16th May to 3rd 
June) 11*6 days late ; for June (5th to 21st) 6*6 days late; and for 
July (24th June to 25th July) 6*2 days late. 
Phenology of 1888. 
The year 1888 was very similar in character to 1887 ; backward 
throughout, hut with a greater tendency to recovery in the summer 
months. The mean of the 60 selected species shows vegetation to 
have been on the average 11*1 days late, or about half a day less 
than in 1887. Of these 60 species 51 came into flower later 
than the mean of 1876-86 and 9 earlier. 
Of our 30 spring flowers 28 appeared after the mean date and 2 
before it (as in 1887); and of our 30 summer flowers 23 appeared 
after the mean date and 7 before it. The spring flowers were on 
the average a little over a fortnight late (15*5 days), and the 
summer flowers a little less than a week late (6'2 days). 
The average date of flowering of the first 20 species is 16-5 days 
late; of the next 20, 11*0 days late; and of the last 20, 4’7 days 
late. Yegetation was thus most backward in the early spring, 
about two-thirds as backward towards the end of spring, and less 
than half as backward in summer as in the latter part of spring. 
Of each group of 10 species the second is more backward than 
the first; the third not so much as the first; the fourth much less 
than the third ; and the fifth and sixth less backward still. The 
average for February is 15-4 days late; for March 18*5 ;^for April 
13-7 ; for May 8*3 ; for June 5*3 ; and for July 4-0. 
Thus the years 1887 and 1888 both bear out in a general way 
the conclusion arrived at in previous reports, that there is, after the 
early part of spring, a less departure from the mean as the year 
advances. 
