88 
J. HOPKINSON—METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATION'S 
snow (only) on 2 days more. The sky, although rather more fre¬ 
quently completely overcast, was much more often clear of cloud. 
The estimated force of the wind was rather less than in 1884. 
The chief difference in the weather of the two years will thus he 
seen to consist in the much greater rainfall and number of wet 
days in 1885 than in 1884, one being a rather wet and the other 
a very dry year. 
In the winter of 1884-85 (Dec. to Feb.) the mean pressure of 
the atmosphere was below the average, the mean temperature was 
rather high, the relative humidity was about the average, and the 
rainfall and number of days of rain were considerably above it. 
In the spring (March to May) the mean pressure was about the 
average, the mean temperature rather low, the relative humidity 
about the average, and the rainfall and number of days of rain 
were again above it. In the summer (June to Aug.) the mean 
pressure was high, the mean temperature the average, the mean 
daily range of temperature being considerable (owing to hot days 
in June and hotter still in July), the relative humidity was very 
low (due to the dryness of the air in July), and the rainfall and 
number of days of rain were excessively small (owing chiefly to 
the drought of July). In the autumn (Sept, to Oct.) the mean 
pressure and mean temperature were rather low, the relative 
humidity was the average, and the rainfall and number of days of 
rain were considerable. 
The following notes record the general character of the weather 
in each month, and its principal changes. 
January.— Of average temperature, very dull, with a humid 
atmosphere of rather low pressure, and with a considerable amount 
of rain, hut very little snow. The month may he divided into two 
dry and two wet periods. From 1st to 7th only 0-02 in. of rain 
fell (on 5th), from 8th to 16th rain or snow fell every day, from 
17th to 24th no rain fell, and from 25th to 31st rain fell every day. 
For the last 5 days the weather was much warmer than during the 
earlier part of the month. 
o o o o 
27th to 31st.9 a.m. 46'1 Mean Min. 41*6 Mean Max. 50*5 Mean 46*1 
Mean of Month ,, 35*0 „ 31*4 ,, 39-8 ,, 35*4 
Difference . ,, 11*1 ,, 10*2 ,, 10-7 10*7 
Min. below 32° on 20 days (above 40° on 3 ; 28th to 30th) ; 
max. above 42° on 12, above 52° on 1 (29th). On 11th barometric 
pressure was the lowest in the year. There was a gradual fall 
from 30*318 ins. at 9 a.m. on 7th to 29*038 ins. at 11 p.m. on 
10th and 28*957 ins. at 9 a.m. on 11th, and then a gradual rise to 
30*259 ins. at 9 a.m. on 19th, this depression covering the first wet 
period. There was again a gradual fall from 30*131 ins. at 9 a.m. 
on 24th to 29*124 ins. at 9 a.m. on 31st, coincident with the 
second wet period. On the last three days more than an inch and 
a half of rain fell, with hail on 31st. -Southerly winds (S.E. to 
S.W.) prevailed. 
