In all latitudes the quantity of rain is greater in summer than in winter ; but in the 

 temperate zones, the showers are more frequent in winter, though less abundant, than at 

 the opposite season. Thus at St. Petersburg the number of rainy or snowy days during 

 the winter is eighty-four, and the quantity of rain that falls about five inches ; but during 

 the summer, with the same number of rainy days, the quantity that descends amounts to 

 eleven inches. The discrepancy is immense between the tropics in the amount of rain in 

 different months. At Bombay, the mean depth has been found by the pluviometer, or 

 rain-gauge, to be 24 inches in June, 'and 1*26 inch in October. In extra-tropical climates 

 the discrepancy is fur less ; but the last six months of the year appear to yield a larger 

 supply of rain than the first. Forty years' observations made at London, give 



From January to July inclusive 

 From July to December inclusive 



8'539 inches. 

 12-147 



The respective contributions of the different months with us are thus stated by Professor 

 Daniell: 



iches. Inches. 



January - - 483 ' July - 2*516 



February - - -746 August - - 1 '453 



March - - -440 September - 2- 193 



April ..- \ .- - 786 October - - 2-073 



May - - - - -853 November - 2-400 



June - - -830 December - 2-426 



According to this table, the smallest depth of rain falls in February, and the largest 

 in July. It is true of many places, though not perhaps generally, that the diurnal fall of 

 rain is the greatest during those hours that the sun is below the horizon. 



The average quantity of rain in the subjoined latitudes, with the mean temperature, is 

 stated by Humboldt, as follows : 



- 81-5 mean temp. - - 96 inches. 



- 79-25 , p 8O 



- 68 - 27| 



- 38 - . -,. - 17 



Under the equator - 

 North latitude 



19 

 45 

 60 



The occurrence of rain in tropical countries is a seasonal event, the year being divided 

 into two periods of excessive drought and abundant showers, the sky remaining almost 

 perfectly unclouded during the former season, and then becoming completely overcast at 

 intervals during the latter. Districts situated north of the equator have their wet season 

 from April to October, when the sun is in the northern half of the ecliptic, the reverse 

 occurring on the south of the line. This is a remarkable instance of beneficial 

 arrangement ; for the rays of a vertical sun would be insupportable but for the screen of 

 cloud which is coincidently expanded. 



In some parts of the American continent, and in the West Indies, two wet seasons 

 mark the year ; but one is of much shorter duration, and has lighter showers, than the 

 other. Two periods of rain are also mentioned in relation to Judea; the "first" or 

 autumnal rains, which fall in seed-time, towards the close of October ; and the " latter" 

 or spring rains, which fall in April, after the cold season. " I will give you the rain of 



