he values herein given; and as I doubt if better data 
could be obtained, I do not think that your space would 
be wasted by reproducing it, and affording your readers 
the opportunity of detecting any periodicity which may 
exist. 
I now turn to the verification of Mr. Meldrum’s conjec- 
tured connection between sun-spot and rainfall periodicity. 
But before giving the results J have obtained, I think it 1s 
x ae By a 
NATURE 
worthy of consideration whether the total precipitation 
over the surface of the globe can be expected to be in- oe 
creased by increased cyclonic energy. Increased rainfall 
surely means increased extraction of moisture fromthe 
air, and that involves one of two facts—(1) increased eva- _ 
poration to supply the increased demand, or (2) rapid and 
great dessication of the atmosphere. Without expressing 
a dogmatic or fixed opinion, it certainly seems to me _ 
4 
EUROPE. ASIA. AFRICA. 
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Year. in. | in. | in. | in. in, | in. in. in. in. in. in. Tee ian, | im) in.) ae eo. in. ins | in, | in. 
1832 19°3 23°5|  21°4) 18'9] 21°4) 2077| 39°8| 228} 39°3 438 
x953 23°0) 34°2| 33°2 22'9| 23's) 29°8) 73'1| 260 48'4| 37°9 
1834 19'6) 24°6| 20°4! 18] 18'2] 244 38 13770 35°! 4o"r 
Totals 61°9 $2°3 75°0, 59°9| 63°0| 74.9171) 61'S 122°8 121°8 
1836 27°71 26°8| 236 32°4| 28:0) 27'0} 980) 30'S 38 1 roro! d 
1837 210 23°0|- 25°6 220) 24°6/ 207) 53°9| 2571 347) 884) = 
1838 238 22°3| 26" 310} 241) 35'S] 93.9) 3r°4) 34°01 113 r 
Totals 71°9) 72°1 75°3) 86'0) 76:7] 83:2 7455 87°73 106°8 301° 
1843 37°7| 24°6) 38'4) 20°} 389) 51°4) 30°90! 24'r| 36°5| 349, at's 64'3] 30°21) 10°9 ‘o| 64'S] b 
1844 27°7| 24°] 32"t| 35°3| 34°8, 52°| 20°8| 270] 34'4 66'1| 306 73°90] 4'2|  20°8 an 884 J as 
1845 33°3| 22°4| 40°9) 29.7 32°1 68°6) 26:5] 26's] 35°7| 60'2| 38°3 631] 4t'2)  24°4 42 al 70'5| 43°90 
Totals | 98°7) 71°9)111°4| 94°0) be be 87°2| 77°6)106 6161'2 go-2 _|2or'3ir12"5| 5671 123°9 223°7/163°7_ 
. - 
1847 29'2| 17'8| 40'8| 17'7| 19'0 27'3| 39'2) 196) 27°3) 42'0, 316] 67°6| 72°4) 51°4| 18"4 40'8 
1848 48'0} 30°2/  37°8]  25°7| 30°0! 39°6, 25°4! 24°9] 33°5) 624 254) 482) 587] 40°5 371) \ 
1849 364] 23°7| 40’5| 20%) 236 41 9) 22°90 20°3 339) 57'5| 206] Go'o! 6575) 22°0 fi 
| Totals \113°0) 71°7|119°1| 72°5) 72°6107°9) 67°5| 70'S) 94°7,161°9, 77°6'175°8196°6|113'9 
: 
1855 30°4 211 35°1| 312! 256 49'5| 28'9] x5"7| 40°2| 461) 32°31 G6r’o} 7o'4) 21's 
1856 34°4| 22°2) 2774] 44°6) 31°9 4488) 274] 2570] 410) 44°t) 28°31 o4'o| G42] 287 
1857 31°9| 2174) 31°90] 31°90) 268 40°6 310) 215) 211] 229) 30°2} 104'2| Gg'o] 3574 
Totals | 96°7| 64°7| 94°4,1076, 84°3 1389) 87°3| 62 2)102°3.113°1 90°S 259°2 203°6] 85°6 
1859 43°4) 25°90] 44°4| 31°O| 23'9, 28'0) 30°] 232) 2679 RS 35°3 
1860 48'0)  32'0/ 38'0/ 29°3) 258} 40'0} 37"0|  29'4) 413) 56°3) 26°5 
1861 312) 20°3| 41'2} 31 ) 26’0; 23°9| 25'9| 18°8) 30'7| 31°7 214 
Totals \t22°6| 78°2|123°6) 91°3) 75°7| 91°9| 92°9| 71°4| 98°9|124°7) 83°2 
1866 444) 30°1|  41°6 
1867 371} 28°5| 3074 
_ 1868 348) 25°2|  43°4| 
Totals \116°3, 83°8)124"4) 
more likely that the effect of cyclones is simply to alter 
the locality of deposition, than its aggregate amount. 
Therefore | should by no means hold the connection dis- 
proved by series in which exactly opposite results obtain, 
and I am not myself sanguine as to direct proof being 
forthcoming 
Ido not quite agree with my distinguished friend Mr. 
Meldrum as to the “disturbing influence of continents.” 
Their outlines and mountain ranges change not, and I am 
* Want of space compels us to omit a similar column referring to the rain- 
© fall of Australasia, 
aware of no evidence to show that the annual fluctuation 
of rainfall is disturbed by continents. Moreover, in 
the case of some of the smaller islands, we have — 
illustrations in support of the views of Becquerel and the — 
Hon. G. P. Marsh which would completely mask any in- 
fluence indicated by Mr. Meldrum’s statistics. I haveno _ 
doubt that Mr. Meldrum knows the facts respecting the 
rainfall in the Isle of Ascension better than I do, andI 
think that perhaps upon reflection he will be inclined to 
slightly lessen his claims for the superiority of insular — 
stations. ' 
