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102 " *!rafc SEASON WHY. 



'Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of 

 heaven." JOB xxxvm. 



423. In what part of the world do the heaviest rains 

 occur? 



The heaviest rains occur in the tropics, during the hot season. 

 The drops of rain in the tropical regions are so large, and the force 

 with which they descend so great, that their splash upon the skin 

 causes a smarting sensation. 



424. In what parts of the world do the least rains occur ? 



There are some parts of the earth which are rainless, such as 

 Egypt, the desert of Sahara, the table lands of Persia and Mont- 

 golia, the rocky flat of Arabia Petrae, &c. 



425* Sow many rainy days are there in a year ? 



The frequency of rainy days is greatest in countries near the sea, 

 and their number decreases the further we journey from the sea- 

 border towards the inland. In England it rains on an average 152 

 to 155 days in the year. 



426. In what part of England does the greatest amount of 

 rainfall ? 



In the town of Keswick, in Cumberland, where 63 inches of rain 

 fall in a year ; Kendal, in Westmoreland, 58 inches ; Liverpool, 34 

 inches ; Dublin, 25 inches ; Lincoln, 24 inches ; London, 21 inches. 



427. Why do the heaviest rains occur at the tropics ? 

 Because the hot air absorbs a large amount of vapour, and rises 



into the higher regions of the atmosphere, where the vapours are 

 suddenly condensed into heavy rains, by cold currents from the 



428. Why does the greatest quantity of rain fall at the 

 equator ? 



Because the hot air absorbs a large amount of vapour, and as the 

 atmosphere is usually calm, there is an absence of currents, by which 

 the saturated air would be removed. In this, which is called " the 

 Region of Calms" rain falls almost daily. 



429. Why are some parts of the earth rainless? 



