TRANSACPIONS OF THE SECTIONS, 17 
On the amount of Rain which had fallen, with the different winds, at T'ooma- 
~ vara, in the County of Limerick, during five consecutive years. By the 
Rev. Tuomas Knox, M.R.J.A. 
The Rev. H. Lloyd said that he had already brought before the Section, at a former 
meeting, the results of these observations, while in progress ; he had now the plea- 
sure, at Mr. Knox’s desire, of submitting to its notice the conclusions derived from 
the entire and completed series of five years’ uninterrupted observation. After ex- 
plaining briefly the principle of the instrument, by which the amount of rain with 
different winds’ is measured by Mr. Knox, and the mode in which the results are 
graphically represented, he proceeded to read the following remarks, in the words of 
the author himself :— 
««There are one or two points to which I wish to draw attention. First of all, 
taking the average monthly rain at three inches, the first six months of the year are 
below the average, the other six months above it. November and July are by far 
the two wettest months in the year, and in each the greatest amount of rain is from 
S.W. April is much the driest month, and there is nearly as much rain in it from 
the northern portion of the compass as from the southern. 
“‘ With regard to the gross amount which fell from each point in the entire year, 
that which fell from S., 8.W. and W., is much above the average; from the other 
points it is below it. If the polygon which characterizes the yearly rain be divided 
by a line running N.E. and 8.W., then the rain at equal intervals on either side of 
this line is equal, to all but a fraction of aninch. ‘This is the more remarkable, as 
these two points had been fixed on by Professor Dove, in his paper on the Winds, 
as being the points of greatest and least barometric pressure; that is to say, the 
wind being supposed at S.W., any shift of it either towards S. or W. produces a rise 
of the barometer, and also any shift on either side of N.E. a corresponding fall. 
Now, in the rain, the greatest amount is from $.W., corresponding with the least 
height of the barometer : the least is from N.E., where also the barometer is highest ; _ 
‘and on either side of this line it varies regularly. For instance, the amounts from 
|W. and S. are nearly equal, and both less than that from S.W.: N.W. and S.E, are 
also equal, but still less ; and so on. ; 
«There is one particular in which this separation of the gross amount of rain into 
the eight portions, as brought by different winds, may be useful, viz. in ascertaining 
the respective specific gravities, and the amount of saline matter, brought from each 
‘direction. This may be useful in regard to agricultural matters. For instance, we 
‘could easily suppose a case of two portions of land, not many miles asunder, but on 
‘different sides of a high range of hills, getting very different amounts of salt, from - 
‘one being exposed to, and the other sheltered from that wind in which the greatest 
‘amount was found. But by this mode of collecting the rain, an accurate mode of 
“estimating this is within our reach. To this question, namely, the amounts of solid 
‘and gaseous matter brought in the rain from each direction, 1 hope on a future oc- 
sion to turn my attention.” 
_ The Tables which accompany this communication give the amount of the rain 
corresponding to each wind, for each separate month in the five years. The follow- 
ng are the yearly mean results, deduced from the whole series :— 
Mg -8.W. We NWN NE. OE. SE. Total, 
6548 10°639 6°034 2°789 2°352 2°172 2°251 3°173 35°958 
‘On a Thermometer Stand. By Henry Lawson, L.R.S. 
__ The Meteorological Thermometer Stand, which was regularly used at the author’s 
observatory in Bath, was stated to possess the following requisites :—It can be placed 
On any open eligible spot. Its four sides can and must be placed to face the cardinal 
‘points; commanding, therefore, a true north and south aspect. It can be visited on 
ery side, and be free from all surrounding objects. The instruments or thermo- 
Meters used can be read off with great facility; and the whole will be at a known 
distance from the ground. The instruments placed on the south face will have the . 
‘meridian sun ; and those on the north face will be always in the shade, in conse- 
Bre. of the projecting wings. It can be employed by any meteorologist wherever 
1845. c 
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