110 J. HOPKIKSON EEPOET ON THE 



Tlie second half of the year is usually wetter than the first half, 

 hut this year the difference was very much greater than usual, only 

 6-84 inches, or 27^ per cent, of the year's rain, falling in the first 

 six months, while 18-07 inches, or 72 J per cent., fell in the last six 

 months. The only season which was wet was the summer, but the 

 first of the three summer months, June, was very dry. November 

 was a very wet month. While the three months, July, August, and 

 November, had excessive rainfall, the three months, February, May, 

 and June, were abnormally dry, the aggregate rainfall in the three 

 wet months being nearly ten times as much as in the three 

 dry ones. 



Droughts in 1895. — Accepting as before the definitions of 

 Mr. Symons (in 'British Rainfall') of an "absolute drought" 

 as a period of more than 14 consecutive days without any rain, and 

 a " partial drought" as a period of more than 28 consecutive days 

 with an aggregate rainfall not exceeding O'Ol inch per day, there 

 were three absolute droughts in 1895, and two partial droughts. 



The first absolute drought occurred at 22 out of the 33 stations 

 for which I have the daily rainfall, lasting for 



22 clays, February 2 to February 23, at 10 stations. 



21 ,, >> ^ )) >) 



■^'- )) )> " )> >> 



■1-9 5> >» " >> >> 



^" )) >> ^ >> >> 



16 ,, ,, 2 ,, ,, 



15 ,, ,, 2 ,, ,, 



15 ,, ,, D ,, ,, 

 The second absolute drought lasted for 



19 davs, April 28 to May 16, at 2 stations. 



16 .; May 1 „ 

 1^ >) >> ^ it )} 



The third lasted for 



20 days, Sept. 11 to Sept. 30 at 2 stations. 

 19 12 - - - 



15 ,, ,, 20 ,, October 



The first partial drought prevailed at all stations, commencing 

 on the 2nd of February and lasting at most of the stations until the 

 5th of March, its average duration being about 33 days, and the 

 average rainfall 0-006 in. per diem. It lasted for at least 



30 days, February 2 to March 3, at the 33 stations. 



