218 
J. HOPKINSOX-METEOEOLOGICAL OBSEEVATIONS 
average than that of the nights, the mean daily range being con¬ 
siderable. There was much less sunshine than usual. The 
prevailing direction of the wind was from the south-west and west. 
On only nine days at Berkhamsted and twelve at St. Albans did 
the maximum temperature not reach 50°; and on only six days 
at Berkhamsted and five at St. Albans was the minimum below 32°. 
On the 17th, at Berkhamsted, “ the temperature in the thermometer- 
screen rose to 62°, a reading,” Mr. Mawley says, “which has only 
once before in the last sixteen years been exceeded so early in the 
spring.” The same reading was again reached on the 31st. 
Apeil. —Of average temperature, with a dry atmosphere, a sky 
of average brightness, and a very small rainfall but the usual 
number of wet days. Both the night and day temperatures, and 
therefore the mean daily range also, were about the average. 
The duration of sunshine was about the same as usual. North¬ 
easterly winds prevailed, but were closely followed by southerly. 
The temperature sank below 32° on two days, the 7th and 9th, 
at St. Albans, and on four, the 3rd, 7th, 9th, and 14th, at Berk¬ 
hamsted. Towards the end of the month there was very dry and 
bright weather. Tor the six days ending 28th the average 
duration of sunshine at Berkhamsted was “ lOf hours a day, 
and on the last of those days the record reached 13^- hours, 
making this,” Mr. Mawley says, “ the sunniest April day ” he 
had recorded there. 
May. —Very cold, with an atmosphere of average humidity, 
a very cloudy sky, and a rainfall only slightly exceeding the 
average but on an exceptionally large number of days. The 
temperature of the days was more exceptionally low than that 
of the nights, the mean maximum temperature being more than 
5° below the average. The mean daily range was therefore very 
small. The sun shone on the average for about an hour a day 
less than usual. The prevailing direction of the wind was from 
the west, but northerly and north-westerly winds were also 
frequent. Except at New Barnet, rain was recorded on all but 
three of the first twenty-two days, and it also fell on the last 
three or four days in the month. The only warm period was in 
the dry interval between the 22nd and 28th. 
June.— Another cold and gloomy month, with an atmosphere 
of about average humidity, a rather cloudy sky, and a heavy 
rainfall (about one inch or 50 per cent, above the average) on 
a large number of days. The days were again much colder in 
comparison with the average temperature than were the nights, 
the mean daily range being small for the month. The duration 
of sunshine was much smaller than usual. The wind came mostly 
from opposite points of the compass, east and west, easterly winds 
being slightly the more frequent. The month may be divided into 
two periods of very different character, the first twenty days being 
cold, wet, and gloomy, and the last ten days warm, dry, and bright. 
In the latter period rain fell on two or three days to the aggregate 
amount of from 0*03 to 0*06 in. 
