42 



RAIN. 



[chap. III. 



RAIN. 



According to the authors of the "Physical Atlas," the mean 

 annual quantity of rain that falls at Funchal is 29 -82 inches, 

 of -which 48 per cent, falls in the winter, 17 per cent, in the 

 spring, 4 per cent, in the summer, and 31 per cent, in the 

 autumn. The rain that falls in the mountainous parts of Eng- 

 land, which is nearly double of what falls in the plains, stands 

 thus, by comparison : — 40 - 59 inches fall annually, of which 

 26 per cent, falls in the winter, ] 9 per cent, in the spring, 25 

 per cent, in the summer, and 30 per cent, in the autumn. 



The following Table of Observations by Dr. Heberden 

 shows the quantity of rain which fell at Funchal in the years 

 1747, 1748, 1749, 1750:— 



Dr. Heberden's Table. 



Dr. Heberden says, "The years 1749 and 1750 were such 

 dry years that the corn was destroyed, and the fruit trees 

 suffered much, particularly the peach trees ; the fruit either 

 falling to the ground whilst green, or, if it remained longer 



