g this month there were three distinctly marked periods of belts of
showers, preceded by "fresh" or "strong" south wind, and followed by the
N. W. There was a period when a belt of less intense stratus, without much
wind, occurred (28th, 29th, and 30th of June). This was followed by a
distinct belt of showers and _fresh_ S. wind, on the 2d of July, and by
the N. W. wind and clear weather, on the 3d.

During the rest of July it was more irregular, with the exception of the
7th, 8th, and 9th, when another belt and revolution occurred.

Now, these periods, when distinctly marked, exhibit the same succession of
phenomena--viz., elevation of temperature, fresh southerly wind, belt of
condensation, cumulus or stratus with cirrus running east, but extending
south, followed by N. W. wind, and clear, cold air. Can any one believe
they were successive rotary gales?

I wish, in this connection, to make a suggestion to Lieutenant Maury and
others. The descriptions of M. Bassnett, although not perfect, are very
intelligible. He describes things as they were, and as they should be
described. He distinguishes the clouds, and the scud, and other
appearances.

But Colonel Reid's descriptions are unmeaning and unintelligible. G.
M.--Gloomy, misty! Gloomy from what? fog, or stratus, or a stratum of
scud, or what? We can not know. Again, C. The table tells us this stands
for detached clouds. But of what kind? Cumulus, broken stratus, patches of
cirro-cumulus or cirro-stratus, or scud? All these, and indeed every kind
of cloud or fog formation, except low fog, may exist in detached portions.

These abbreviations will not answer; they do not describe the weather. The
clouds must be studied and described. There is no difficulty in doing it.
Sailors will learn them very soon after their teachers have; and those who
teach them should see to it that the logs contain terms of description
which convey the meaning which may, and ought to be, conveyed. The use of
these indefinite terms can not be continued without culpability.

Again, the observations of seamen off our coast are in accordance with the
progress of this class of storms on land, and prove that they continue S.
E. over the Atlantic, abating in action as they approach the tropics.
There is abundant evidence of this in the work of Colonel Reid, and the
charts of Lieutenant Maury, but I can not devote further space to them.

The third class form in the counter-trade, over some portion