THE WEATHER CYCLE 57 



8 per cent, of Bruckner's material gave dis- 

 cordant results. Bruckner found that the 

 rainfall records of Europe and Asia agree 

 precisely ; and are in general agreement with 

 those of North America ; but the records of 

 South America and Australia are much less 

 regular in their agreement. 



CHAPTER II. THE BALANCE OF OCEANIC AND 

 CONTINENTAL WEATHER CONDITIONS. 



TKe most important of the apparent incon- 

 sistencies were due to intelligible, geographical 

 causes. Bruckner found, early in his investi- 

 gation, that, while the level of those continental 

 lakes which have no outlets rises and falls in 

 agreement with the Caspian, yet many other 

 lakes, though they vary in a cycle of the 

 same length, are highest when the Caspian is 

 lowest. Bruckner, therefore, described these 

 lakes as being in areas of permanent ex- 

 ception. Such exceptions, in this case, verily 

 prove the rule. The Caspian is lowest after 

 years when the rainfall in its drainage area is at 

 its lowest. These are years when the great 

 continental mass of Europe and Asia is under 

 conditions of especially high atmospheric pres- 

 sure. A prevalence of such anticyclonic 

 conditions results in comparative drought. 



