132 J. HOPKINSON EEPOKT ON THE 



montlis and 16'78ins. in the last six months. The weather was 

 dry in spring, and there was one long drought from about the 

 middle of March to the middle of April ; and it was wet in 

 autumn, especially duriug the latter part of October and the first 

 half of November, 22i- per cent., or two-ninths, of the year's rain 

 falling in about one-sixteenth of the year. 



Droughts in 1894. — Accepting as before the definitions of 

 Mr. Symons (in 'British Hainiall') 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 0-01 inch per day, there 

 were three absolute droughts in 1894, and there was one partial 

 drought. 



The first absolute drought occurred at 33 out of the 35 stations 

 for which I have the daily rainfall, lasting for 



29 days, March 16 to April 13, at 3 stations. 

 28 ,, ,, 17 ,, ,, 13 ,, 1 ,, 

 27 ,, ,, 15 ,, ,, 10 ,, 1 ,, 

 27 ,, ,, 18 ,, ,, 13 ,, 1 ,, 

 22 ,, ,, 15 ,, ,, 5 ,, 1 ,, 

 20 ,, ,, 25 ,, ,, 13 ,, 1 ,, 

 17 ,, ,, 15 ,, March 31 ,, 4 ,, 

 17 „ „ 16 ,, April 1 „ 3 „ 

 16 ,, ,, 15 „ March 30 ,,11 ,, 

 16 ,, ,, 16 ,, ,, 31 ,, 1 ,, 

 15 15 29 1 

 15 ,, ,, 16 ,, ,, 30 ,, 5 ,, 



The stations at which it did not occur were Elm House, Tring, 

 where the longest period without rain was 14 days (March 16 to 

 29), and Moor Park, where it was only 13 days (March 17 

 to 29). The average duration of this drought was I8-3- days. 



The second absolute drought lasted for 



15 days, June 21 to July 5, at 24 stations. 

 The third lasted for 



19 days, Nov. 18 to Dec. 6 at 1 station. 



15 ,, ,, 21 ,, ,, 5 ,, 3 stations. { 



A partial drought lasted from about the middle of March to the 

 middle of April, its average duration being 31 days. It prevailed 

 at 30 stations, and lasted for at least 



30 days, March 15 to April 13 at the 30 stations. 

 31 

 32 

 32 

 33 



of the 12 at which it lasted to at least the 13th of April. 



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