JosepJi Baxendell^ F.R.S. 47 



Inequality in the Direction and Velocity of the Wind, 

 apparently connected with the Daily Changes of Magnetic 

 Declination." The observations made use of in this paper 

 are those of the Radcliffe Observatory, Oxford, from 1859 

 to 1865. He finds that about 7 a.m. a force, which has been 

 almost if not quite inoperative during the previous ten 

 hours, begins to act on the wind from a westerly direction, 

 and gradually but rapidly increasing in intensity, produces 

 its maximum effect between i and 2 p.m. ; it then gradually 

 diminishes, and finally ceases to act about 9 p.m. The 

 intensity of the force, as measured by the changes which it 

 produces in the direction and velocity of the wind, is at its 

 mean value during its increase at about 9.32 a.m., and during 

 its decrease at about 5.12 p.m. Now these times correspond 

 very nearly with those at which the magnetic declination is 

 at the mean for the day, as determined from the Greenwich 

 magnetic observations. He also finds that the effect of this 

 additional force was to impel the air through a distance of 

 1 6*3 miles in a direction almost perpendicular to the mag- 

 netic meridian. His results appear to show that the greatest 

 easterly deflection should be taken as the direction of the 

 true magnetic meridian, and that the daily oscillations are 

 due to one disturbing force only, which, when in operation, 

 acts always in the same direction. One may naturally feel 

 surprised, on reading this paper of Mr. Baxendell's, to find 

 that two phenomena so varied in character have a connec- 

 tion ; the winds we have long been accustomed to regard 

 as a type of fickleness, while the magnet has furnished a 

 popular emblem of constancy. — "On the Fall of Rain at 

 Different Periods of the Day in connection with the Diurnal 

 Changes of Magnetic Declination." In an earlier paper, on 

 some rainfall observations made by the Rev. J. C. Bates, Mr. 

 Baxendell had pointed out that the curve which represented 

 the daily variations of rainfall had well marked points of 

 imilarity to that of the daily variations of magnetic declina- 



