Hertfordshire is hilly though not mountainous, a great extent of its
surface being considerably elevated above sea-level, with a general
south-easterly inclination; it has a dry soil; is well watered with
numerous rivers of clear water--already enumerated--chiefly derived from
springs in the Chalk; is well but not too densely wooded; and its
atmosphere is not contaminated by manufacturing towns. It thus maintains
the reputation for salubrity which it gained more than three centuries
ago, our earliest county historian, Norden, remarking on the "salutarie"
nature of the "aire".

Observations taken at the following meteorological stations during the
twelve years 1887 to 1898 have been printed annually in the
_Transactions of the Hertfordshire Natural History Society_, and a brief
summary of some of the chief results will here be given.

_Royston_ (London Road): lat. 52° 2´ 34´´ N.; long. 0° 1´ 8´´ W.; alt.
301 feet; observer, the late Hale Wortham, F.R.Met.Soc.

_Berkhampstead_ (Rosebank): lat. 51° 45´ 40´´ N.; long. 0° 33´ 30´´ W.;
alt. 400 feet; observer, Edward Mawley, F.R.Met.Soc.

_St. Albans_ (The Grange): lat. 51° 45´ 9´´ N.; long. 0° 20´ 7´´ W.;
alt. 380 feet; observer, John Hopkinson, Assoc.Inst.C.E.

_Bennington_ (Bennington House): lat. 51° 53´ 45´´ N.; long. 0° 20´ 7´´
W.; alt. 407 feet; observer, Rev. Dr. Parker, F.R.Met.Soc.

_New Barnet_ (Gas Works): lat. 51° 38´ 5´´ N.; long. 0° 10´ 15´´ W.;
alt. 212 feet; observer, T. H. Martin, M.Inst.C.E.