375 



It is doubtful whether there is any real ground for this alarm> 

 and whether the diminished rainfall at certain periods is not rather 

 due to a secular variation, the same as is thought to occur in 

 temperature. 



Of the two supposed causes of deficiency above mentioned 

 excessive drainage perhaps, as far as this country is concerned, ia 

 more likely to have had an influence than timber felling, from the 

 system having been so widely adopted throughout England,* 

 whereas the felling of woods has been a more partial operation. 

 That the latter, however, when carried to a great extent has really 

 an injurious effect on climate we can hardly doubt, from the many 

 complaints that have been made on this head in other countries, 

 not only in some parts of the Continent, but in India and Australia, t 



But to bring this matter also nearer to ourselves I would appeal 

 to the members of this Club whether they might not render Mr. 

 Symons some assistance in his arduous undertaking. He wants 

 returns of rainfall from as many stations as possible throughout 

 Great Britain ; and notwithstanding the number of gauges already 

 at work, there are yet several places still without them, where it 

 •would be very desirable to have them set up. A list of these 

 localities will be found in the " Meteorological Magazine" for 

 December last ; and among them the following places occur in the 

 county of Somerset : — Minehead, Dulverton, Castle Gary, and 

 Weston-super-Mare. In a letter, however, which I have received 

 from Mr. Symons since this list was published, he expresses a 

 desire that to the above-named places these be added : — Thomhury, 

 Gloucester, Watchet, Axhridge, Wincanton and Bridgwater, and 

 especially Exmoor. These places, though not all in Somerset, are 

 most of them within the distance to which the Club often extends 

 its excursions, and it would seem strange indeed if, among our 

 members, none could be found having friends in some of the places, 

 or who were in other ways connected with them, so as to be able to 

 procure the additional observers so much wanted. I need only add 

 on this point that if any new observers can be obtained, they should 



• See a paragraph in the " Times" for Aug. 30, 1870, headed " Kainfall in 

 England." 

 t See " Nature," vol. i., p. 291 ; and vol. ii., p. 234 ; and vol. iii.,p. 496. 



