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supplies the evidence on which the resolution of such great questions must 

 rest. Sir Roderick Murchison's world-famed work in Siluria was built in 

 no small degree on the data furnished by unnamed observers. Apart, how- 

 ever, from any consideration of original discovery, there is so much that 

 is engaging in the study for its own sake — as indeed of what branch of 

 natural history may this not be said ? — such pleasure to be drawn from any old 

 stone wall, or heap of road metal, such endless marvels to be noted, such grandeur 

 of conception, such healthy exercise of the reasoning powers, to be gained from it, 

 that I may well find my warrant for urging the subject on the attention of members. 

 I remark what appears to be a great loss in some of the later numbers 

 of our Transactions, that, 1 mean, of the meteorological notes which used to be 

 published in them. The papers on this subject communicated by the late Mr. 

 Isbell and by Mr. Southall, seem to me to have been contributions of very much 

 value indeed. The science of Meteorology is one that has made, we all know, 

 very marked progress in recent years, and one too which will probably be 

 continually still further developed, and invite still more close attention to deduce 

 if it may be from ascertained phenomena the laws which govern atmospheric 

 movements. Something may be done to further such a result by reducing to 

 system observations, the weak point of which at present is that they are 

 desultory, isolated, and without a plan. To acquire a set of such instruments as 

 would entitle an observer to the consideration of the British Association would be 

 an expensive affair, even if many had the leisure or the persistency to use them 

 when acquired. But it has occurred to me that the Club might be doing a work 

 of some utility if it could systematize, over the district with which it is connected, 

 so simple an operation as registering the daily rainfall. The sparse efforts of 

 individuals who register rainfall already, though not without their value as their 

 records are tabulated by Mr. Symons, need to be largely supplemented before 

 they can be considered very efficient aids to science. But would it not be possible 

 to organize a network of such observations, more or less close, over the county ? 

 Suppose that the district were mapped out, and members of the Club, or those 

 whom they might be able to secure the co-operation of, were to undertake the 

 charge of rain-gauges along the courses of the principal rivers and streams, over 

 plains such as the valley of the Lugg at stated intervals, within defined areas of 

 the more hilly parts of the country, the comparison of the results arrived at in the 

 course of years might, I conceive, prove of much use. They might bear their part 

 in the composition of the story, which should tell more decidedly of the path of 

 storms, of the prevailing currents of winds, their force and what occasions them, 

 of the circumstances which accompany or determine the succession of fine and bad 

 weather. Nor do I think it is wholly imaginary to foresee some economic benefit 

 arising from the adoption of such a plan as I have alluded to ; if, that is, it be so, 

 as many, myself among the number, are disposed to think it will be so, that the 

 storage of water will come in process of no very long time to be thought worthy of 

 more serious consideration by the people of this countr3' than it meets with now. 

 I submit the idea to you, and for my own part should be happy to do 

 anything I could to reduce it to practice, if it were thought feasible. 



