12 



PEOCEEDINQS OF THE 



from the South Atlantic. He spoke of the principal rainless districts 

 of the earth, and of those where the rainfall is most abundant, and 

 entered in some detail into the distribution of rain in Great Britain, 

 giving also some statistics as to the recent rainfall at Redhill. 



Mr. Sydney Webb also furnished statistics of the rainfall at 

 Redstone Hill for the year 1876: — 



Total .. 33-475 inches. 



Rain or snow fell on 223 days, against 216 in 1875, and 229 in 

 1874. The heaviest fall was -82 inch on the 22nd June. In 

 London the greatest falls were on Dec. 23rd, rain and snow 1-61 

 inches, or nearly an inch more than the quantity at Redhill; and on 

 March 12th, '74 inch, against -16 inch at Redhill. The December 

 rainfall is the largest recorded in one month in this neighbourhood 

 for at least fifteen years. The Redhill rainfall was in excess of that 

 of London every month except July, the total surplus being 8-23 

 inches. A very distinct aurora was observed on Dec. 15th. 



Dr. Bossey exhibited an immense mass of individuals of Pluma- 

 tella cristata(Lam.) found in a stream at Betchworth by Mr. Kensit. 

 It considerably resembled a piece of sponge, and when alive must 

 have contained a vast number of animalcules. 



Evening Meeting, March ^th, 1877. Mr. Edward Bidwell of 

 London exhibited a large and valuable collection of eggs, for the 

 purpose of illustrating variation in coloring and marking. About 

 50 specimens constituted a very fine series of the eggs of the Peewit, 

 and included all kinds of varieties in color, form, and size. Amongst 

 the other species which exhibited the greatest variations were the 

 eggs of the Kestrel, Redshank, Common and Arctic Terns, Black- 

 headed Gull, Herring Gull, and Common Guillemot. He alluded 

 to the two classes of spots on eggs, the shell spots and surface spots. 

 In the former the coloring matter is deposited during the formation 

 of the shell; in the latter during the passage of the egg through 

 the oviduct. Clearly defined spots or lines on an egg seem to prove 

 that the coloring matter was deposited while the egg was at rest. 

 When this is not the case the spots appear more or less smeared and 

 blotched. A bird in the prime of life is found to lay the most richly 



