Transactions. 109 



nearly 2°, so that on the whole we have had during the past year 

 mild and open weather during the winter months, the greater part 

 of February being excepted, with a cold and backward spring in 

 March and April (deficiency of temperature for the two mouths, 

 7}/) ; but as there was almost no frost in May, with a more than 

 aveiage supply of moisture, vegetation made considerable progress 

 in that mouth, and though the exceptionally cold and wet weather 

 of the succeeding months greatly retarded the ripening process, 

 things were kept green and growing, and with a favourable 

 September and October an abundant harvest was at last gathered 

 in. 



Rainfall. — The heaviest fall of rain within 24 hours was 

 recorded on the 22d July, when 1 "20 in. was registered. The wettest 

 month of the year was November, with a fall of 6"52 in., more than 

 2 in. above the average ; and July came next with a fall of 6*22 in., 

 more than double the average for the month. In November there 

 were 22 days on which rain fell, 20 of them consecutive ; and in 

 July 24 days, the greatest number of any mouth in the year. 

 Though these were the rainiest months of 1888, there was a great 

 difference in their character. The cause of the excessive rainfiiU 

 in November was a series of cyclones coming from the Atlantic, 

 with strong southerly, south-westerly, and westerly winds, after the 

 first week, and a temperature much above the average for the season ; 

 whereas in July the prevailing winds were more from the east and 

 north, and the temperature greatly below what is usual in that 

 month. The total number of days in which rain or snow fell was 

 19.5 (rain, 186, snow, 9 — mostly slight falls) as compared with 181 

 last year. The total rainfall for the year was 35 "91 in., as com- 

 pared with .30-99 in. in 1887 and -iM3 in. in 1886. The average 

 rainfall at Cargen for the last 28 years, as reported by Mr Dudgeon, 

 is 4467 in. I have observed, however, from Mr Dudgcou's 

 monthly reports that the rainfall at Cargen almost invariably 

 exceeds that at Dumft-ies, probably from its greater proximity to 

 Criftel, so that the mean annual rainfall here may with probability 

 be estimated at 40 or 41 in. rather than 44 in. This would still 

 leave a deficiency in the past year of 4 to 5 in., though we might 

 naturally have the impression that it has been a peculiarly rainy 

 year. But it is to be observed that, although the rainfall of July 

 and November and in some degree also of December, was much 

 above the average, that of most of the other months was below it, 

 January, February, April, iSeptember, and October having been 



