to 



REPORT AND OBSERVATIONS ON 



tent, to loss from so much evaporation as could take place 

 on the surface of the water confined within the cylinder and 

 covered by the funnel top, the hole at the bottom of which 

 is almost entirely filled by the graduated rod. This could 

 not be very much ; but to whatever extent it did take place, 

 it would affect the result and show less than the real fall. 



Notwithstanding the objections which may be made to 

 the precise accuracy of the observations, in consequence of 

 the effect produced by the index rod having been allowed 

 to rise in some months to a height greater than three or 

 four inches, and that they may be supposed therefore to 

 indicate a fall of rain something greater than the truth, 

 ihey have fully served the purpose for which they were 

 undertaken. They have clearly established the fact, that a 

 gauge placed on the top of a house does not indicate the 

 correct quantity of water falling on the ground. They 

 also show that a large per centage must be added to such 

 observations as have been made by means of gauges placed 

 on buildings, in order to form any correct estimate of the 

 actual fall of rain at the place of observation ; and they may in 

 that way be made materially useful in coiTecting the results 

 of many years of observations in such unfavourable positions. 



They show also, that within the range of the observations 

 more rain falls on high ground than on low. 



The observations which are now being made, will, it is 

 hoped, be free fi"om all objections; and if future results 

 confirm those of the past, it would be desirable to re- 

 commend to all parties who have hitherto been at the 

 trouble of keeping registers of the quantity of rain falling in 

 different places, but whose gauges have been injudiciously 

 placed, to continue them for the future in situations better 

 calculated for obtaining accurate results.* 



♦ Since this paper was written, the author has received the Annual Report 

 for 1847 of Mr. J. F. Miller of Whiteharen, printed for private circulation 

 amongst the subscribers to the very valuable and interesting meteor ological 



