[ 494 ] 



more on the plains, and in winter fomewhat lefs. Phil. Tranf. 

 1 77 1, p. 295. The greater quantity of rain colledVed in fummer 

 on plains appears to me to proceed from the caufe juft mentioned, 

 the lefs difturbed ftate of the atmofphere 5 but the quantity of rain 

 gained through the influence of this caufe is often, in great mea- 

 fure, compenfated by that arifing from the condenfation of fogs, 

 formed on the fummits of mountains, particularly at night, when 

 neither fog nor rain exift on the plains. But in winter, thefe 

 mifts being much more frequent and denfer on the fummits of 

 mountains, the quantity of moifture which they depofit is far 

 more confiderable. 



7^*. That it rains much more on the weftern coafts of mofl: 

 parts of Europe, particularly if mountainous, than in the interior 

 parts of thofe countries, or on the eaftern coafts of the Britainnic 

 iflands. 



The caufe of thefe phenomena is very obvious. Wefterly winds 

 are by far the moft frequent in moft parts of Europe ; thefe flow 

 from the Atlantic which bounds it, and generally convey marine 

 clouds eledrified differently from the foil or land over which they 

 flow, "as alfo from that of the higher clouds under which they 

 reign. Hence proceeds their mutual attradlion, and thence rain. 

 This efted muft take place principally on the weftern coafts ; when 



they 



