Solar Changes of Temperature and Variations in Rainfall. 429 



Nik Floods. 



After we had obtained the above results relating to the law followed 

 by the Indian famines, we communicated with the Egyptian authorities 

 with a view of obtaining data for the Nile Valley. 



We have since found, however, from a memorandum by Eliot,* 

 that Mr. Wilcocks, in a paper read at the Meteorological Congress at 

 Chicago, remarked that " famine years in India are generally years of 

 low flood in Egypt." 



It remains only for us, therefore, to point out that the highest Niles. 

 follow the years of the + and - pulses. Thus : 



1871, one year after + pulse 1870. 



1876, two years after subsidiary pulse of 1874. 



1879, two years after - pulse 1877. 



1883-4, one and two years after + pulse 1882. 



1893-4, after + pulse 1892 (India excess rainfall, 1892-3-4). 



The Great Indian Famine of 1899. 



When, in a sun-spot cycle, the solar temperature is more than 

 iisually increased, the regularity of the above effects is liable to be 

 broken, as the advent of the - pulse is retarded. 



This, as we have already pointed out, is precisely what happened 

 after the abnormal + heat pulse of 1892, following close upon the con- 

 dition of solar mean temperature. 



The widened line curves, instead of crossing, according to the few 

 precedents we have, in 1897 or 1898, have not crossed yet that is, 

 the condition of ordinary solar mean temperature has not even yet 

 been reached. 



We have shown that, as a matter of fact, in a normal cycle India 

 is supplied from the Southern Ocean during the minimum sun-spot 

 period, and that this rain is due to some pressure effect brought about 

 in high southern latitudes by the sun at - temperature. 



As the - temperature condition was not reached in 1899, as it 

 would have been in a normal year, the rain failed (fig. 3). 



We may say then that the only abnormal famine recorded since 

 1836 occurred precisely at the time when an abnormal effect of an un- 

 precedented maximum of solar temperature was revealed by the study 

 of the widened lines. 



We desire to tender our acknowledgements to Dr. Buchan, F.K.S., 

 and Mr. Shaw, F.R.S., for their kindness in so promptly replying to 

 our appeal for rainfall tables. We wish also to thank Mr. H. Shaw, one 



* Forecast of S.W. Monsoon rains of 1900. 



