RETURNS OF RAINFALL, ETC., IN DORSET. 201 



REPORT ON RAINFALL IN 1893. 



I have this year received reports. of Rainfall from 3G stations, 

 all Dorset with the exception of two just over the Wilts border 

 and one just over the Devon border, Avhich are useful for 

 comparison. Three of the stations reported from in 1892, viz. : 

 Tarrant Keynston (G. Galpin), Bloxworth House (Colonel 

 Cambridge), and Poole (J. H. Phillips) are unrepresented ; while 

 on the other hand there are seven additions, some of which are 

 especially welcome, as filling up gaps where no observations have 

 before been recorded. Sherborne, Puddletown, Winfrith, &c. 

 still remain the centres of large districts in which the rainfall is 

 unobserved. The additional stations are Holwell (Mrs. Warry), 

 Horton (Rev. Geo. Wellington), Swanage (F. A. Burt), Rousdon 

 (C. E. Peek), Coneygar Hill, Bridport (H. Gordon), West 

 Bay Road, Bridport (H. Gordon), and Winterbourne Steeple- 

 ton (H. Stilwell). 



The higliest record of Rainfall is, as usual, from Hazelbury 

 Bryan, almost exactly the same quantity as in 1892, 37-i2in. 

 Canon Wheeler writes me : " I have two gauges, one in a 

 somewhat high part of the garden, the other about 200 yards 

 away. They never record exactly the same quantity. When I 

 had to investigate for the elaborate reports of the Tyneside Field 

 Club the returns from many stations in Northumberland and 

 Durham, the same fact often struck me. How it can be 

 accounted for is somewhat difficult to say." The next highest 

 record is, as in 1892, from Cheddington, 34-60in., against 31-99in. 

 in that year. After this come Melbury, Rusiimore, Cattistock, 

 and Larmer, all about 32in., Steepleton, SO'Slin., Wiiatcombe, 

 29"57in., Parkstone, Beaminster, Creech Grange, and Corfe 

 Castle, all aljout 28in., Bloxwortii (Rectory) which stood 4th on 

 the 1892 list being this year only 1-lth with 27"05in., whereas 

 Parkstone, Avhich is this year 9th, was in 1892 2-lth. The 

 smallest Rainfall was at Smedmore, 20-20in., which liad the lowest 

 record in 1892. Then follow Portland, 20-33in., AVeymouth, 

 22-73iu., Hamworthy, 23-34iu., Swanage, 23-4Gin. 



