George James Symons. ]05 



possible. The result attained is that the Rainfall System set on foot 

 by Mr. Symons, and carried out by him for forty years, is the most 

 complete anywhere existing, looking to the extent of country covered 

 by the rain-gauges, and to the trustworthiness of the records thereby 

 collected of this prime element of climate. 



The chief books which he wrote or edited are the forty volumes of 

 ' British Rainfall,' and the thirty volumes of ' Symons' Monthly 

 Meteorological Magazine.' Soon after the eruption of Krakatoa, it 

 was suggested that the Royal Society should appoint a Committee to 

 undertake an exhaustive report of the eruption. Mr. Symons was 

 appointed chairman of the Committee and edited the Report. 



He was engaged for many years in compiling a catalogue of 

 meteorological books and papers, which embraced a total of from 

 60,000 to 70,000 titles, and of these, in 1882. he contributed about 

 20,000 titles to a bibliography prepared by the Weather Bureau of 

 the United States. His own private library numbered nearly 10,000 

 books and pamphlets, many of these being rare and in several cases 

 unique copies of early meteorological works. 



On February 14, he was struck down by paralysis. For a brief 

 time he made some progress towards recovery ; but unfavourable 

 symptoms supervening, he died on March 10, 1900. 



A. B. 



