l62 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COTTESWOLD CLUB 



If you see a moon with a greasy ring of halo at about 

 twice the distance of its apparent size you may expect 

 half an inch of rain in the night. 



It has been noted that rainfall observers are generally 

 long-lived ; probably the regular habits acquired by a daily 

 visit to a rain gauge, with the consequent distraction from 

 other cares, may have something to do with this. 



In 52 years 18,980 rainfall observations will have been 

 taken, and if to this be added, as is very common, the 

 readings of a barometer, dry and wet, maximum and 

 minimum, and ground thermometers, the number is no 

 less than 113,880. 



The amount of rainfall is most important with reference 

 to water supply — a question which is yearly attaining 

 greater prominence, and which will some day, for England 

 with its dense population, present one of the problems of 

 the age, even if this time may not be said to have already 

 arrived. 



In considering this aspect of returns, attention should 

 be paid to the area of woodland which, especially when at 

 a good elevation, has a large influence over and above that 

 [)roduced by the tendency of a thickly-wooded district to 

 attract and detain low-lying clouds, and so increase the 

 recorded rainfall. I am disposed to think that this 

 influence is perhaps insignificant in comparison with the 

 precipitation induced by trees at a time when rain does 

 not actually fall. 



When the air is saturated with moisture short of the 

 formation of rain, you may sec under a large beech tree in 

 the winter quite a stream of water coursing down the 

 bark, and a heavy shower of rain falling from the branches, 

 so much so that, on a light, oolite soil, a large area round 

 each tree will be found to be saturated with moisture and, 

 even, standing in puddles of water. I am not aware that 

 the amount of this precipitation, as distinguished from 



