Birds of Lucknow. 473 



on the surface of the country ; and, to come to more recent 

 times, the effect of the famine year 1896, when the total 

 only just reached 27", will be permanently shown in the 

 disappearance of a number of jheels, which have since been 

 converted into arable land. 



The following details give the rainfall for the past five 

 years : — in. 



1896 27-10 



1897 30-46 



1898 45-92 



1899 35-33 



1900 33-43 



[The data for 1901 I have not yet been able to obtain.] 

 From these figures it will be seen that of recent years the 

 amount of rain experienced has been below what might 

 reasonably have been expected, and, in consequence, many of 

 the water-birds have to a great extent deserted us during the 

 breeding-season . 



In order to give a fairly accurate idea of the general 

 climatic conditions of Lucknow, I insert some recorded 

 observations for 1898, which, except for its rather heavy 

 rainfall, may be taken as a typical year : — ■ 



In this table I have not included the highest tempera- 



