affairs. But they may be dismissed with the general remark that they had their origin in that ignorance which confounds signs with causes, and are now disregarded, excepting by the most illiterate and credulous. They are besides at total variance with the theory of the influence of the phases. "The agency of the moon has not been confined, in popular opinion, to the changes of weather; she has been allowed in all ages and countries to exercise a direct and important influence on organic life. Many of the opinions vulgarly entertained on this head are curious, and are founded on well established facts; the error lying, not in the observations, but in the theory which makes the moon the cause of phenomena of which she is only the silent and unconcerned spectator." III. — METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. TABLE 1. A Table constructed by Sir John Leslie, to exhibit the Mean Temperature at the level of the sea, in all the successive latitudes; and the Height of Perpetual Congelation. TABLE 2. The Monthly mean Temperature near Baltimore, from 8 years' Observation, by Mr. Lewis Brantz. 1817. 1818. 1819. 1820. 1821. 1822. 1823. 1824. Mean. 35,33 39 30,875 29,25 34,66 33 41,5 41 39,25 55,66 51,75 52,12 63,33 60,66 60,6 28,75 31 36,25 26 Month. 59 June, 69 July, August, September, October, November, December, Mean,. 34 69,570,875 76 75,25 72 74,66 64,75 66,6 59,33 53,66 56,5 54,875 49,25 40,66 44,5 44,33 35,33 36,66 40,33 38,75 52,25 50,09 53,6 51,88 52,44 55,56 | 53,61 | 54,13 52,94 During these 8 years, the thermometer sunk four times below zero; the lowest, Feb. 15, 1817, to - 4. TABLE 3. Dr. Holyoke's Meteorological Journal; kept at Salem, Mass., from 1786 to 1828. DR. HOLYOKE of Salem, Massachusetts, began to keep a meteorological journal in 1786; continued it through the year 1828; and died on 31st of March, 1829, in his 101st year. This journal furnishes a series of observations, made with great care, and continued for a longer period of time by the same individual than any other of which we have knowledge. Abstracts from this journal are published in the 2d, 4th, and 5th volumes of the "Transactions of the American Academy of Arts and SciThe portion contained in the 5th volume was prepared by Dr. E. Hale, and from which we extract the following Table, exhibiting the ences. GENERAL RESULTS OF 43 YEARS, FROM 1786 TO 1828. Means of each of 7 Series and of the whole Period. Series. January, March, June, July, August, September, October, November, 8 A. M., Winter, ,08 25,59 24,81 26,62 26,95 24,24 24,24 24,21 46,55 47,49 47.44 45,57 44,54 45,54 46,79 46,27 Extremes of each of 7 Series and of the whole Feriod. *Note. -As neither of the times of observation was in the coldest part of the day, the range of the thermometer is stated in the preceding Table less than it should be, and the mean temperature too high. Dr. Hale supposes that a due correction would reduce the number 48,86 to 47,09, as the mean temperature of 43 years. Other interesting Results. Hottest years from 1786 to 1828; 1793, 50,96; 1825, 50,99; and 1828, 51,35. Coldest year during the same period; - 1812, 44,28. Mean Heat of the Hottest and Coldest Seasons from 1786 to 1828. Mean Heat of Winter and Summer united, 43 years, 48,74 Mean Heat of the Hottest and Coldest Months from 1786 to 1828. The hottest month in this period was July 1825, 77,74; the coldest, January 1792, 19,17. The greatest heat in the period 101, on June 23, 1816; and also on July 21, 1825; the former in the coldest summer of the period, and the latter in the warmest. The greatest cold in the period — 13, Jan. 25, 1821. The other coldest days were Jan. 17, 1786; Jan. 23, 1792; Feb. 14, 1817; and Jan. 13, 1818; on each of which the thermometer sunk to -11. The mean temperature of the months shows that January is generally the coldest, and July the hottest month in the year; yet February was colder than January in 14 years of the 43; and August hotter than July in 9 years of the same period: in 3 years (viz. 1790, 1796, and 1798), December was the coldest month; and in one year (1786), June was the hottest. The Spring is the most inconstant or variable season. Dr. Holyoke remarks of the January of 1802, that it was "perhaps the warmest January ever known." TABLE 4. Abstract of Meteorological Observations made at Medfield, Mass., 18 miles S. W. of Boston during 10 years, from Jun. 1, 1821, to December 31, 1830; and also during the years 1831 and 1832; by Daniel C. Sanders, D. D.-Average of three observations, at sunrise, at 2, and at 9 o'clock, P. M. The greatest cold during the 10 years, from 1821 to 1830 inclusive, was on the 1st of February 1826, when the mercury sunk at sunrise to 18 degrees below zero; and the greatest heat was on the 11th of July, 1825, when the mercury rose to nearly 99 degrees. From 1821 to 1830, there were, on an average, in each year, 219 days of fair, and 146, of cloudy weather: rain fell, more or less, on 57 days; and the annual average quantity of snow was about three feet, measured when newly fallen. the 21st of January, In July and August There were 201 fair The greatest cold during the year 1831 was on when the mercury sunk to 6 degrees below zero. the mercury rose several times to 87 degrees. days, and 165 cloudy: rain fell, more or less, on 65 days, with unusual frequency and abundance; and snow amounted to about 5 feet in depth, nearly twice the usual quantity. The Aurora Borealis illuminated 17 nights; and thunder and lightning were noticed on 21 days. *This month was distinguished for an extraordinary degree of cold. It will be seen in the table of observations made at Marietta, page 83, that it was much colder than any other month in that table. The mean temperature at New Bedford was stated at 21,02. General Martin Field says, in his remarks on his meteorological table of observations taken at Fayetteville [Newfane], Vermont; "The mean temperature of December [1831] was 8,3, which was precisely 5° below that of the extremely cold month of February, 1829; and was probably colder than any other month within the last half century." The mean temperature of the three winter months of 1831, at Fayetteville, Vermont, was 13,8; at Medfield, was 19,66; colder than the coldest winter at Salem, from 1786 to 1823. according to Dr. Holyoke's Journal, by 3,72 degrees. The The year 1832 was uncommonly cold. The winter of 1831-2 was very severe; the months of June and July fell considerably below the average heat; and early frost of great severity did much injury. coldest day in 1832, was on the 27th of January, when the mercury sunk at sunrise to 16 degrees below zero; and the greatest heat was 91 degrees. There were 185 fair days, and 180 cloudy: rain fell on 72 days; and the quantity of snow amounted to 18 inches. Thunder and lightning were noticed on 21 days, first on the 12th of March. and last on 29th of September. The appearance of the Aurora Borealis was much less frequent than common. January is usually the coldest month, and July the hottest; but in 1831, December was much the coldest month, and in both 1831 and 1832, August was the hottest. TABLE 5. Abstract of a Meteorological Table of the Average Observations made at the Military Posts of the United States, by the Surgeons of the Army, for Four Years, 1822, 1823, 1824, and 1825; prepared under the direction of Joseph Lovell, M. D., Surgeon-General of the United States' Army. The above Posts are situated between Lat. 27° 57′ and 46° 39' N., Fort Snelling being the most northern, and Cantonment Clinch the most southern Post; and between Lon. 67° 04' and 95° 43′ W. from Greenwich, Fort Sullivan being the most eastern, and Council Bluffs |