Scientific Intelligence — Meteorology and Hydrology. 393 



mountainous districts appears to increase from the valley upwards to 

 the altitude of about 2000 feet, and then rapidly to decrease, he wishes 

 to lay before the Society the results of his own observations, which 

 lead him to a different conclusion. After stating that he had been 

 at some trouble to analyse Mr Miller's observations, which have been 

 communicated to him by that gentleman, he is of opinion that they 

 do not warrant the conclusion deduced from them, and are also at 

 variance with the recorded observations of Davies Barrington, Dr 

 Dalton, Professor Daniel), and others, as well as those of Captain 

 Lefroy, and Colonel Sabine. 



The author then shews from observations very carefully made in 

 Lancashire, Cheshire, and Derbyshire, from January 1846 to March 

 1848, that more rain falls at the bottom than at the top of hills of 

 less elevation than 2000 feet in the same locality, and that the 

 quantity diminishes in a ratio ahnost precisely corresponding to the 

 height. The details are given in tables of monthly observations, 

 made near Whaley and Congleton in Cheshire, and Chapel-in-le- 

 Frith in Derbyshire, and also of other observations made for the Cor- 

 poration of Liverpool atPvivington and in the valley of Roddlesworth, 

 near Preston, in Lancashire, which have been communicated to him. 

 The whole of these observations, carefully analysed and compared, 

 have led the author to a, conclusion opposite to that arrived at by 

 Mr Miller. 



Tiie author then proceeds to shew, that the details of Mr Miller's 

 own observations are in accordance with his, and that they fully 

 bear out his views, and not those of that gentleman. Some' appa- 

 rent discrepancies in the results are pointed out, and their cause ex- 

 plained, by reference to peculiarities in the localities in which the 

 observations were made, as shewn by reference to a map accompany- 

 ing this paper, and to the details given by Mr Miller ; so that the 

 observations of this gentleman, when examined with reference to 

 locality, fully confirm those of the author, and of the authorities he 

 has quoted, and establish the proposition, that, as a general law, the 

 quantity of rain deposited in the valleys and at the bottoms of hills, 

 is greater than in more elevated situations in the same locality. 

 — (Philosophical Magazine, Third Series, vol. xxxiii., No. 220, 

 p. 158. 



3. Inundation of the Indus. Taken from the lips of an Eye-viit- 

 ness, in a. d, 1842. Communicated by Cajitain J. Abbott. 



Ushruff Khan, Zemindar of Torbaila, states, — " In the month of 

 Poos (December), the Indus was very low. In Maag and Phao-oon 

 (January and February), it was so low as to be fordablo (an unpre- 

 cedented phenomenon). In Chayt, it continued very low, but not 

 fordable. In Bysakh (April) the same. About the middle of 

 Jayt (May), the atmosphere was one day observed to be very thick, 

 the air still. At about 2 p.m., a murmuring sound was heard 



