1920.] of the Muroccan ''Middle-Atlas.'' 277 



on the Pliiteiiu, were bitterly cold. Some of the storms were 

 terrific, typhoon-like in their deluges. The hailstones were 

 often of special brand, ranging from Firecrest's egg size to 

 great lumps of ice as big as a Hawfinch's egg. It was very 

 desirable, to say the least of it, to take cover when these 

 little tritles were coming down — they hurt even on ones 

 shoulders — but for the poor creatures who could find no 

 shelter! Just before one of tbese hail storms I found a 

 Whitethroat's nest containing four eggs, out in the open ; the 

 storm lasted half an hour, then I went' to look at the nest ; 

 two of the eggs were smashed and three big hailstones lay 

 on top of them. I thought the nest looked deserted before, 

 but do not believe the bird could have saved the eggs by 

 covering them without being killed or badly hurt herself. 

 Subsequently, I ratlier expected to come across more such 

 cat-istrophes, but didn't. 



These diurnal midsummer storms are mountain phenomena, 

 and rarely extend more than a few miles beyond the Middle- 

 Atlas ; this year, however, some of them reached even 

 Meknez, but their local nature is well illustrated b}^ the fact 

 that while Azrou had eight days of the storms, Ito, six miles 

 distant, had only four. During these four days, four inches 

 rainfall was measured at Ito; probably Azrou had at least 

 three times as much in her eight days, but no register is 

 kept there. 



With regard to temperature : that of Azrou is probably 

 about the same as Ain Leuli, viz. : — 



March 1919 A v. daily luax. '^Fabr. (32 A v. daily niiii. 40 



April „ „ 68 ,, -11 



May „ „ 79 „ 51 



June „ „ 81 „ 57 



July „ „ 92 „ 63 



(Figures kindly given me by M. le directeur de TAgriculture at liabat.) 



As for the winter : it is only necessary to see the masses 

 of lichen on the trees in the forest to form an estimate of its 

 climate. The total annual rainfall in the Middle-Atlas 

 averages over tliirtv iuclies. 



