GLOUCESTERSHIRE RAINFALL 

 BY A. S. HELPS 



The widespread attention which is now given to the 

 interesting subject of rainfall statistics may be said to be 

 entirely due to the labours of Mr G. J. Symons, who, 

 since the year i860, has published a yearly record for the 

 British Isles ; and the success which has attended his 

 devotion to the work is manifested by the striking increase 

 in the number of observers making returns dealt with by 

 him. In the year 1895 these observers were over 3000, 

 the number having been only 1000 in the year 1865. 



I have long thought that the collection and publication 

 of the earliest known rainfall returns for the County of 

 Gloucester, which, as far as I am aware, have not yet been 

 brought together in an easily available shape, would be of 

 sufficient interest to form a part of the proceedings of the 

 Cotteswold Naturalists' Field Club, and this more 

 especially as it is the fact that some of the earliest and 

 longest and, consequently the most valuable registers 

 have been kept by past members of the Club. 



I have, therefore, endeavoured to make such a collec- 

 tion of rainfall returns for the county as will form at least 

 the basis for a complete record of all such information as 

 is now in existence, and, although I am quite aware that 

 this collection is not as yet an exhaustive one, sufficient 

 materials have come to my hand to warrant a beginning. 



K 2 



