when the mean velocity was 6.64 miles. These statements agree very nearly with those made in the preceding year, when the most windy hour was from 2 to 3 P.M. and the calmest hour, from midnight to 1 A.M. Rain and Snow.-The depth of rain 33.274 inches, shows an increase of more than 5 inches on that of the year 1858, and was 2.415 above the average. The depth of snow shows also an increase of 9 inches on that of the preceding year. This however, was principally due to the heavy falls in December, as the amount that fell in other months was below the average in every case but in January, when it exceeded it only by about inches. The total depth of rain and melted snow exceeded the average by 2.724 inches. November was the most rainy month with respect to the amount of rain, and June with respect to its frequency. The smallest amount of rain fell in February, and the fewest rainy days occurred in December. The heaviest rain occurred on August 23rd, when it fell to the depth of 1.655 inches, and the heaviest fall of snow on December 18th, when the depth was estimated at 6 inches. The fall of rain was distributed over 127 days, and the fall of snow over 87 days, including 23 days which occurred in December alone; and there were 169 days only, or less than half the year, without either rain or snow. The rain occupied about 514 hours and the snow about 380 hours in its fall, making thus a total of about 894 hours, or 37 days, during which either rain or snow was falling; a result it is to be remarked differing only by about one day from that of last year. The hour at which rain or snow was most frequent, was between 2 P.M. and 3 P.M. and the hour most free from rain and snow, on the average of the year, was between 1 A.M. and 2 A.M. Thunderstorms.-There were 30 thunderstorms, reckoning as such those cases in which thunder or lightning occurred accompanied by rain or hail, besides 16 instances in which the thunder or lightning occurred singly or together, but without rain or hail. Auroras.-The auroras in 1859 were not quite so numerous as in 1858, but there was an increase in the number of days in which those of the first class were observed. The aurora of August 28th, and the following days, was probably one of the most remarkable ever recorded, when considered with respect to its brilliancy, its duration, and the extent of the earth's surface at which it was visible. It was accompanied by an extraordinary magnetic disturbance. The magnets were deflected from their normal positions to the extent of about 2° 7' in the delination and 2° 20′ in the dip; and in the horizontal and vertical components of the force, there was a departure from their normals, of about .08 and .006 of their respective normal absolute values. The magnitude of these deviations will be better appreciated when it is remembered that a disturbance is reckoned large when the declination differs 5', the dip 1', the horizontal forue .0012, and the vertical force .00026, from their respective normals. The following is the general Meteorological abstract for the year 1859, deduced from the observations taken at the Provincial Observatory : GENERAL METEOROLOGICAL Provincial Magnetical Observatory, LATITUDE, 43° 39'.4 North. LONGITUDE, 5 h. 17 m. 33 s. West. ELEVATION ABOVE REGISTER FOR THE YEAR 1859. Toronto, Canada West. LAKE ONTARIO, 108 feet. APPROXIMATE ELEVATION ABOVE THE SEA, 342 feet. 13.36 13.33 11.19 12.32 13.66 13.84 16.38 18.29 18.19 22.8 26.0 25.4 26.7 39.8 31.2 37.0 44.2 39.4 29.6196 29 6483 29.5990 29.6686 29.6146 29.6746 29-7092 29.6209 29.6267 29.6054 29.5999 29.6249 +.0378+.0510-.0371.0145 -.0252+.0558+.0629+.0010]+.0068.0145.0200+.0050 29.966 30.141 29.811 30.049 29.962 30.252 30.392 30.392 30.408 30.361 30.480 30.552 29.260 29.159 29.306 29.038 29.018 28.881 29.201 28.286 28 849 28.452 28.459 28.459 0.706 0.982 0.505 1.011 0.944 1.371 1.191 2.106 1.559 1.909 2.021 2.093 N 77 WN 56 w N 36 W N 44 W N 68 w N 81 W N 53 WN 61 w N 41 WN 74 WN 71 WN 62 w 1.95 1.48 1.62 1.60 5.04 3.39 4.20 2.24 1.59 2.54 3.03 2.51 9.65 10.77 8.17 7.64 7.99 +2.45 +2.73+1.60+1.21 +1.68 8.31 8.18 +2.19+2.33 4.08.3 2.611 3.9901 3.525 0.9401 5.193 1.035 33.274 28.051 33.205 21.505 31.650 +0.887 -0.879 +1.063-0.574-1.617+2.084-0.571+2.415-2.674 +2.223 -9.329+0.286 16 991 12 11 15 11. 134 103 12 3 127 131 MONTHLY METEOROLOGICAL REGISTER, AT THE PROVINCIAL MAGNETICAL OBSERVATORY, TORONTO, CANADA WEST-DECEMBER, 1859. Latitude-43 deg. 39.4 min. North. Longitude-5 h. 17 min. 33 sec. West. Elevation above Lake Ontario, 108 feet. Barom. at temp. of 320. Temp. of the Air. Days. Excess 6 A.M. 2 P. M. 10 P.M. MEAN. 6 A.M 2 P.M 10PM ME'N Average A. MP.M P.M. M'N Tens. of Vapour. Humidity of Air. above 6 2 10 Direction of Wind. Re- Velocity of Wind. 6 2 10 A. MP. MP. M M'N 6 A. M. 2 P.M. 10 P. M. tion. 6A.M2 P.M 10PM Re- ME'N Rain in Inches. Snow in Inches. .072-107 29 326 29.295 29.680 29.4478 48.0 58.8 31.741.37 +13.58.320 370.155.281 .95 .89 .86 .90 SbW REMARKS ON TORONTO METEOROLOGICAL REGISTER FOR DECEMBER. 1st 31st... Mean temperature.. 44.37 Difference 45°45 Monthly range= 7398. Radiation. Terrestrial. Aurora observed on 5 nights, viz., on 13th, 14th, 15th, 23rd, and 30th. Most cloudy hour observed, 4 p. m., mean = 0.80; least cloudy hour observed, 10 p. ., mean, = 0.64. Sums of the components of the Atmospheric Current, expressed in miles. South. 1109.62 East. 1631.23 West. 4216.08. Resultant direction N. 53° W.; Resultant Velocity 4.29 miles per hour. North. 3046.27 Most windy hour... 11 p. m. to midnight.. 1st. Fog 3 to 4 p. m. Very mild day. ditto. Mean velocity 11 67 ditto. Difference .Mean velocity 10.22 ditto. 1.45 miles. m. 5408-Minimum on 2nd, 2 p. m. 1705-Range in 22 hours 37°3. The Mean Temperature of December, 1859, was the coldest yet recorded at To- The depth of snow was more than twice the mean quantity, and absolutely the The Mean Velocity of the Wind was 2.75 miles per hour above the average of 12 years. 6th. Dense Fog 10.15 a. m. to 7 p. m. Very mild day. 13th. Beautiful display of Auroral Light and Streamers tinged with purple and 1855 26.8+0 8 45-9-2.1 48.0 17th and 18th. Stormy days. Wind very high, with heavy fall of snow. 28th and 29th. Very cold, stormy days; high wind, and heavy fall of snow. 31st. Lunar Corona from 6 to 7 p. m. Very rapid change of Temperature from 1st to 2nd; Mean Temperature 1st =44°37-Mean Temperature 2nd-17°27-Difference 27°10. Maximum on 1st, 4 p.) 45.11-0.72 45.83 5.4 1.606 12.7 15.19 N 44° W 2.93 7.40 |