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The fecond imperfedion arifes from the lofs of water occafioned 

 by drops of rain burfting when they are driven obliquely by a 

 breeze, and ftrike the fides of the gage : in fuch cafes they dif- 

 perfe into a number of minute drops, many of which never defcend 

 into the receiver, but efcape over the margin of the funnel. 

 This depends on principles too fimple to require any experimental 

 proof. It is difficult, if not impoffible, to prevent entirely this 

 lofs of water by difperfion ; all that we can do is to diminifh the 

 caufe of it as much as we can. An ingenious friend of mine, 

 Mr. Gough of Kendal, in a letter which I lately received from 

 him, propofes the following method of remedying this imper- 

 fedion. 



A linen ftrainer, he fays, of a conical figure, (hould be fitted 

 exadly to the mouth of the gage ; this flexible funnel ftiould be 

 ftretched by a weight or ftring fixed to its apex within the vefiTel; 

 the drops flriking on this yielding fubftance would receive a 

 moderate concuflion, and the particles of water would be en- 

 tangled in the threads of the cloth. It is evident that this would 

 greatly prevent the lofs occafioned by difperfion, but would much 

 increafe the evaporation, by detaining a quantity of water in 

 the funnel, expofing a much greater furface to the air. A better 

 way of remedying this imperfedion is to have a perpendicular 

 rim, an inch or two high, fixed to the rim of the funnel. I have 

 here given the form of rain-gages which I have had conftruded for 

 my friends. 



In 



