copying. It would be of great assistance, therefore, and save some considerable time if observers would kindly have their copies checked before sending them out, and I should be extremely obliged if in future they would do so.

OBSERVERS' NOTES.

ABBOTSBURY, NEW BARN.-The rainfall for the year, namely, 38.96, is 10.55 inches more than the average of the last 14 years.

BEAMINSTER, HAMILTON LODGE.-The Beaminster average for the 39 years ending 1911 is 37.79. The rainfall of 1912 (47.79) is therefore exactly 10 inches above the average. This fall, however, was exceeded by the 49.25 inches of 1903.

BROADSTONE. The night temperatures were high in the Autumn, and the year wet and sunless, with very few thunderstorms.

was the

BROADWINDSOR, BLACKDOWN HOUSE.-1912 wettest year I have known. I have kept a record since 1894. BROADWINDSOR VICARAGE.-A little snow fell on the 1st and 3rd of February, and on the 19th of March. On the 4th and 8th of March thunderstorms with hail occurred, and a hail storm on 21st October at 6.45 p.m. A partial eclipse of the moon was very clearly visible on the 1st of April.

BUCKHORN WESTON.-3rd March-A very brilliant lunar rainbow at 5.30 a.m. 4th March-A very strong gale more or less all day, and at 2.30 p.m. a sudden and sharpish thunderstorm.

CHEDINGTON COURT.-On January 18th, at 9 a.m., the snow was 5in. deep, and lin. fell after that time; a rapid thaw set in on the 19th, and the snow was gone by the 20th. The lowest temperature was 18° of frost on the 3rd February, and the highest 86° in the shade on July 16th.

No thunderstorms of any note were noticed during the year. The wet month of the year was August, with 8.25 inches; the fall of 1.76 on the 17th August being the greatest for any 24 hours during the year.

The dry month of the year was September, no rain falling for 22 days, from the 6th to the 27th inclusive.

CHICKERELL, "MONTEVIDEO."-Feb. 2nd and 3rd-A few flakes of snow each day. May 12th-Thunderstorm, slight. June 21st-Thunder and lightning a long way off. July 13th-Lightning in evening. Sept. 29th-One flash of lightning and one clap of thunder. Oct. 1st-A distant clap of thunder heard. Oct. 12th-No rain, but there had been very heavy dews for several nights, which deposited a little water in the rain gauge.

In addition to the 211 days on which one-hundredth of an inch or more of rain was recorded, there were no less than 39 other days on which rain fell, but always in too small a quantity to be recorded.

CREECH GRANGE.-1.60in. of rain fell between 7 p.m. on the 23rd and 1 p.m. on the 24th of August.

Thunder and lightning, accompanied by rain and hail, at 10 a.m. on 26th December, and an exceptionally violent S.W. gale raged the whole day.

DORCHESTER, WOLLASTON HOUSE.-The total rainfall for the year, namely, 48.90 inches, is 13 10 inches above the recently calculated average for Dorchester-35 80 inches.

A remarkably wet and sunless year. Compared with 1911 we had 600 fewer hours

of sunshine.-W. E.AXFord.

GUSSAGE ST. MICHAEL MANOR.-On January 17th 43in. of the 93in. collected was melted snow.

LITTLEBREDY.-January-A little snow on the 17th and 28th. April 17th-Eclipse in cloudless sky. NovemberBrilliant lightning between midnight and 1 a.m. on the 27th, in a sudden lull in the gale. 26th December-Thunder 7 a.m. and violent S.W. gale. Two hundred trees blown down.

EAST LULWORTH VICARAGE.-1912, with 45 33 inches, was wetter than any year during the last eight years, and exceeded the fall in 1909 by 637 inches.

The abnormal rainfall in August, 7.32 inches, fell in 24 days. The only other such excessive monthly totals in recent years are 7.93 in January, 1905; 10.02 in October, 1907; and 7.56 in October, 1909.

The first snow fell on January 18th. It is rather a curious coincidence that no rain was recorded on the 13th of any month excepting December ('05).

LYME REGIS. December 26th-Commencing about 3.30 a.m., a violent storm occurred S.W. a little southerly, which reached hurricane force from about 5 a.m. to 6 a.m., and did considerable damage in Lyme Regis to roofs, chimney pots, &c., and lifting heavy window boxes from their places and dropping them into the streets. It continued, though much moderated, until noon.

PARKSTONE. December 26th-Very rough day; lightning, thunder, rain, and hail stones as big as marbles; some I picked up measured two inches round.

EASTON, PORTLAND.-No measurable rain fell during April.

There were 200 wet days, and a further 29 days when less than 005in. fell.

STURMINSTER MARSHALL, BAILIE HOUSE.-3in. tube well, 50ft.; with a further 70ft. 1țin. bore unlined. Top of tube Ift. above ground.

Weekly record of water from top of tube :

UPWEY.-A little snow fell on the 17th January, 4th February, and 19th March. Thunder was heard on the 11th and 12th of May, 22nd June, and 19th August; lightning being seen on 13th July. There were six days when more than lin. of rain fell.

WEYMOUTH, MASSANDRA.-With the exception of the year 1903, with rain 45 23 inches, this year, 1912, with rain 40-55 inches, is the wettest for the past twenty years. On three days, viz., January 27th, September 29th, and October 1st, I measured over one inch, the amounts being 1·37in., 1.30in., and 1.52in. respectively. Only three dry spells, 19 days from April 16th to May 5th, 24 days from September 4th to 28th, and 10 days from October 2nd to 12th. The temperature, with the exception of a cold period from January 28th to February 7th and a warm period from July 14th to 18th, was remarkably equable and mild. Vegetation in all forms flourished, gardens were most productive, in marked contrast to the year 1911.

WINTERBOURNE WHITCHURCH VICARAGE.

JAN.-Up to the 25th the weather was very stormy and wet; the 16th was a particularly rainy day, 1·30in. falling in the 24 hours. Snow fell to the depth of 3in. during the night of the 17th. The highest temperature was registered on the 6th, 51° in shade; the lowest for the month, during the night of the 29th, 19°.

FEB. The first week of month was very wintry; on the 5th the temperature never rose higher than 28° all day. A very

sudden thaw set in on the 6th, and the rest of the month was mild and wet. The max. temp. of the month occurred on the 28th, 56°; the min. the night of the 2nd, 17°.

MAR.-An exceptionally wet month for March. There were no less than 20 wet days, and there was a complete absence of E. wind during the month-an unusual feature.

Max. temp. occurred on the 28th, 57°; min., the night of the 19th, 30°.

APRIL.—A remarkably dry month, only 0·05 of rain registered. Max. temp. of the month occurred on 21st, 69°; min., the night of the 30th, 27°.

MAY.—Max. temp. of the month occurred on the 10th, 70°; min., the night of the 2nd, 34°.

JUNE.-A cold, wet month, producing only eight fine days.

On the 22nd a rather heavy thunderstorm passed from S.S.W. to N.N.E. between 9.30 and 11 p.m. During the storm two cottages were struck and burnt down at Hammoon. Max. temp. of the month occurred on the 22nd, 75°; min., the night of the 2nd, 36°.

JULY.-With the exception of a brief spell of hot weather from the 13th to the 18th, the month was cold and damp, with 14 wet days.

The max. temp. of the month occurred on the 15th, 88°; the min. the night of the 8th, 42°.

AUG. This month will long be remembered for its clouds, its cold, and its continuous rain. There were only three days without rain throughout the month, and the rainfall for the month exceeded 8in.

The max. temp. of the month occurred on the 25th, 67°; the min. the night of the 27th, 35°.

SEPT.-Very little rain fell till quite the end of the month, but the last three days produced 2.59in. of rain.

The max. temp. occurred on the 16th, 66°; the min. the night of the 9th, 35°.

OCT.-Both day and night temperatures were much below the average throughout the month; on no less than 15 nights did the temperature fall to or below the freezing point.

The max. temp. of the month occurred on the 10th, 61°; the min. the night of the 4th, 25°.

Nov.-Heavy hurricanes occurred on 10th and 11th, 16th, and 26th. Max. temp. of the month occurred on the 22nd, 55°; the min. the night of the 27th, 22°.