398 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



ary, 4; in February, 1; in March, 6; in April, up to the twenty-third — 8 

 days; in all, 29 days, from November third until April twenty -third. In 

 October it rained nearly every day. 



It very often rains on the mountains, or a few miles out at sea, when it 

 is quite clear and fine on and near the seashore. In the former case, the 

 wind is generally a southern wind, and, as it ascends the mountain, it 

 evidently meets with colder strata of air which precipitate its moisture, 

 forming rain clouds. I have repeatedly sat on the mountain side and 

 watched a current of warm air rise from the sea, at a distance, form at 

 first a vapor on the shore, and then a white cloud, gradually ascending the 

 mountain. It is singular to see the small cloud thus spring, as it were, 

 from the waves near the coast line, gradually expanding and enlarging as 

 it creeps up the mountain side. 



The rain, in these instances, is often confined to the upper mountains, 

 and increases the volume of torrents and rivulets, although it may remain 

 quite fine at and around Mentone, as also on the sea horizon. When, on 

 the contrary, it rains a few miles out at sea, whilst there is fine, dry 

 weather at Mentone, the wind generally comes from the contrary direc- 

 tion — from the north. The cold north wind, passing overhead, impinges 

 upon the sea some distance from the shore, meeting warmer atmospheric 

 strata. Dark banks of clouds thus form on the horizon and rain falls 

 several miles from the coast. In either case the coast ledge may, and 

 often does, enjoy a happy immunity. 



The average fall of rain at Nice is 25 inches. I presume that the annual 

 fall at Mentone is greater, from its being surrounded by mountains on all 

 sides but the south, the southeast, and southwest. 



The average number of rainy days at Nice is 60. M. de Brea, a native 

 and resident of Mentone, and a gentleman of high scientific attainments, 

 has published a meteorological table, founded on ten years' observation, 

 from 1851 to 1861. According to his experience, the average number 

 of days or nights during which it rained little or much at Mentone is 80, 

 or 20 more than at Nice. We may presume, therefore, that the fall of rain 

 is greater, although the consequence is not necessary. At Greenwich the 

 average rainfall is only 25 inches, yet the number of rainy days is 155. 

 At Torquay the average number of rainy days is also 155. At Pau the 

 average rainfall is 43 inches; rainy days, 119. At Malaga the number of 

 rainy days is only 40. At Madeira the rainfall is variable; the average 

 about 30 inches; the rainy days, 88. 



The amount of rain that falls does not so much characterize the climate 

 of a locality as the manner in which it falls. At Mentone, as at Nice and 

 along the entire Riviera, thoroughly cloudy days and days of incessant 

 rain are rare. They do, however, occur occasionally in the winter, and 

 principally with continued southerly winds. The sky is then quite 

 obscured, so that the sun is not seen as in the north, and rain may fall for 

 several days and nights. But this does not usually take place more than 

 two or three times in the course of the winter. Many inches of rain fall 

 on these occasions, thoroughly soaking the ground. After two or three 

 days the clouds disperse, the sun peers forth, and again courses through a 

 clear blue sky like a blazing fire. In a few hours the ground becomes dry, 

 and many days of uninterrupted sunshine generally follow, during which 

 outdoor life goes on as during a fair rainless September in England. 



There are two rainy seasons on the Riviera — one, the autumnal equinox 

 at the latter end of September and during October; the other, the vernal 

 equinox in March, ending with the first week in April. The autumnal 

 rainy season is rather irregular in its periodicity. It usually occurs under 



