PLEASANT WAYS IN SCIENCE. 



figure, which shows the rainfall for eighteen years, and again 

 I think it may be said that a very lively imagination is 

 required to recognize anything resembling that wave-like 

 undulation which the fundamental law of statistics requires 

 where a cycle is to be made out from a single oscillation. 



*& 



Certainly the agreement between the broken curve of rainfall 

 and the sun-spot curve indicated by the waved dotted line is 

 not glaringly obvious. But when we strike an average for 

 the rainfall, in the way adopted by Mr. Jeula for shipwrecks, 

 how pleasantly is the theory of sun-spot influence illustrated 

 by the Port Louis rainfall ! Here is the result, as quoted by 

 the high-priest of the new order of diviners, from the papers 

 by Mr. Meldnim : 



Three minimum years total rainfall . . 

 Three maximum years ,, . . 



Three minimum years ,. , . 



I33'340 

 170774 

 120721 



Nothing could be more satisfactory, but nothing, I venture to 

 assert, more thoroughly inconsistent with the true method of 

 statistical research. 



