RAINFALL AND ALTITUDE OF GAUGE. 



179 



Table III. 



The.se tables conclusively show the large influence of the wind on the catch of the 

 rain, to say nothing of its influence on the catch of the snow. It is therefore evi- 

 dent that the annual rain precipitation as shown by gauges at various heights, 

 although always dimiuishiug with the altitude, Avill diminish in ditl'erent ratios 

 according to the peculiarities of the precipitation and the wind in that locality. 



Without attempting to go into spc ial refinements it will be sufficient for the 

 present to study the annual catch as recorded at numerous stations. I have there- 

 fore in the following Table IV arranged the results quoted by Wild (Repertorium 

 vol. IX, 1885) and some others that have been published elsewhere. This table 

 begins with the results of observations made at low altitudes and of these I have 

 taken the average of all observations made for four years at Calne, three years at 

 Castleton, eight years at Rotherham, and ten years at St. Petersburg with gauges 

 of from 5 to 10 inches diameter. I have omitted the observations for two years at 

 Hawsker with 3-inch gauges, because of the shortness of the series and the smallness 

 of the gauge, which latter point has slightly exaggerated the percentage of loss. The 

 combined result therefore for the 4 longer series is to show that for gauges of such 

 size and construction as are generally used in the weather bureaus of the present 

 day and for the average wind and snow or rain that occurs at these stations (which 

 are in fact fair representatives of the northern portion of the temperate zone) the 

 catch of rainfall diminishes with height of gauge, as shown by the percentage in the 

 last column and in which, of course, the catch of the normal pit gauge is adopted as 



the standard. 



Table IV. 



Location. 



Calne 



Castleton , 



Rotlierliam 



St. Petersburg . 



London : "Westminister Abbey 



Etnden 



St. Petersburg, Central Observatory . 



York : Museum 



Calcutta : Alipore Observatory 



Woodside : Walton on Thames 



Philadelphia: Frankfort Arsenal 



Sheerness : Waterworks 



Whitehaven : St. James' Church 



St. Petersburg, Central Observatory. 

 Paris: Astronomi<'al Observatory ... 



Dublin : Monkstown 



Oxford : Kadclitfo Observatory 



Copenhagen : Observatory 



London : Westminster Abbey . 



Chester : Leadworks 



Wolverhampton : Waterworks 



York : Minster 



Boston : St. Botolph Church 



5inch and 8-inch gauges. 

 5-inch and 8-inch gauges. 



.'"i-iiu^li gauges 



10-iucb gauges 



