Tue CLIMATE OF THE BRITISH ISLEs. 39 
districts: there was less difference between day and night through- 
out the year, and less difference between summer and winter. 
In severe frosts the lowest temperatures were met with in the 
valleys rather than on the hills. In the great frost of January 
and February, 1895, it was noteworthy that at times the summit 
of Ben Nevis was warmer than any other spot in Scotland for 
which observations were available. Such “inversions ’’ of 
temperature were of common occurrence in Switzerland, where 
they had passed into a proverb, and there the villages were 
built on the slopes of the mountains rather than in the valleys. 
' The main features of the climate of our islands as regards 
temperature might be determined from observations made at a 
comparatively small number of points; but in the case of rainfall 
that was far from being the case. The orographical features 
of the country showed extraordinary diversity, and places quite 
close together might have very different rainfalls. Thus, Cargen 
lay nearer to Criffel and the Galloway hills than Dumfries, and 
had a heavier rainfall. The registration of rainfall was a 
simple matter, and the Natural History and Antiquarian Society 
might do good work by encouraging rainfall research in the south 
of Scotland. It would, for example, be of great interest to 
have a string of rain gauges at intervals up the Nith valley. 
The lecturer would be glad to be put in touch with anyone who 
desired to establish a gauge. 
The general distribution of rainfall over the islands was 
described. The west coast was much wetter than the east, and 
where, as in Wales, in the Lake District of England, and in the 
West Highlands of Scotland, considerable mountains opposed 
the passage of the moisture-laden winds from west and south- 
West, the rainfall was very heavy. Some places on the east 
_ coast of Scotland and England had 25 inches or less per annum, 
Glasgow and Dumfries about 38 inches, Fort-William about 78 
inches, whilst the average rainfall on the summit of Ben Nevis 
had been no less than 160 inches. The rainfall at the Stye, on 
the lower slopes of Scafell, was even heavier. 
Rainfall varied much from year to year, but it was difficult 
to show that there were decided rainfall cycles, though there 
was possibly a faintly marked period of eleven years. During 
the last half century 1887 had been the driest year in all three 
Kingdoms. In England and Wales the wettest year had been 
