‘ Meteorological Sub-Committee for 1896. ~ 237 
months in the first half of the year, the exceedingly wet 
September, so wet that another such is not recorded in this 
district, and the dry November, form a curious record; and in 
order rv show the remarkable features, a A, B, C, and D 
have been constructed. 
Tables A and B refer to Greenwich. ‘Table A shows that 
the rainfall of 1896 is 2°49 in. below the 80 years’ average 
(1816-95); and table B that it is 1°75 in. below the 40 years’ 
average (1856-95). 
- Tables B, C, and D refer to Greenwich, Surbiton, and Mt. 
Ararat, ‘Wimbledon, the only stations in the printed list having 
a 40-years’ average (1856-95). This shows with respect to 1896 
a deficiency of 1:75 in. at Greenwich, an excess of 0°18 in. at 
Surbiton, and a deficiency of 0°24 in. at Mt. Ararat, Wimbledon. 
These tables, when carefully examined, are very instructive. 
It will be noticed that tables A and B agree fairly well, with the 
exception that in table A the difference of 1896 from the average 
is 3 in. more than in‘table B. 
When, however, we compare tables B, fat and D together, we 
cannot help being struck with the fact that whilst table B shows 
a deficiency as meEE OOK 1896 of 13 in., table C actually shows 
-an excess of nearly + in., whilst table D shows a deficiency of 
‘$in. It is difficult to account for this, but it possibly arises 
from the configuration of the land; Greenwich and Wimbledon 
lying to the north of the range of hills bordering on the river 
Thames, whilst Surbiton lies more to the westward, owing to 
the river bending towards the south. Should this attempted 
explanation prove correct, it may possibly supply a reason for 
explaining many anomalies i in the distribution of rain. 
It is not proposed to go into minute particulars of the distri- 
bution of the rainfall of ‘the district of this remarkable year, as 
the monthly notes give full accounts thereof; but it may not be 
amiss to remind the members of the Club that this present year 
‘now beginning is the tenth year of this organization, and that 
it will soon be necessary to take in hand a very much more 
‘exhaustive report, and to produce a map of the district showing 
‘the contour lines of elevation, and also the distribution of rain 
in relation thereto. To do this a series of at least ten years’ 
observations is necessary, and it is desirable that, for the 
- purpose of comparison, the decade 1891-1900 should be taken. 
The Sub-Committee would draw attention to the large number 
of days—twelve—on which an inch or more rain fell, and also 
to the very unusual fact that out of this number no less than 
five occurred in.September, and also to the very large amounts 
that fell on the 1st of that month. It is singular that on the 
2nd September, 1889, at Wilmington, there was the largest fall 
that has occurred in the district during the continuance of this 
