392 REPORT—1885. 
Oxford.—Wells dry for first time in living memory. 
Stanton St. John.—Springs very low at end of year. 
Banbury.—Shallow wells and surface springs dry. 
Oundle.—Shallow wells dry. New well carried to 70 feet without 
meeting with water. 
Bedford.—Percolation (by Dalton gauge) through 2 feet 6 inches of 
soil of medium water-holding power, 5°93 inches. 
Tempsford Hall.—Rivers and well ail very low. 
Cambridge, Fulbourn Asylum.—Water in well sank 4 inches, but 
supply plentiful. 
Eastern Counties. 
Leyton Observatory.—Ponds in Epping Forest dry for first time in 
twenty years. 
Chelmsford.—Smallest rainfall since 1868. Many wells failed. 
Dunmow.— Wells failed for first time. 
Ipswich.—Underground water low, but no wells failed as in 1868. 
Rainfall one fourth less than the average. 
Bury St. Edmunds.—Deep chalk well, the water was 6 feet below 
the average level. 
South-Western Counties. 
Maiden Bradley—In October and November, well water very short ; 
some ran dry. 
Trowbridge, Steeple Ashton.— Wells reduced in level at end of year; 
some exhausted. 
Pewsey.—Some wells exhausted ; all reduced. : 
Bishop’s Cannings.—Well at Shepherd’s Shore, which supplies — 
Devizes, is 123 feet deep, with a 12-inch bore-hole, 25 feet lower ; the 
water level at the beginning of the year was 63 feet from the surface, 
and fell to 96 feet at the end of the year. In 1880 the well was lowered 
13 feet, and the bore-hole made, but the water had then never been so 
low as in 1884. 
Mildenhall.—Driest autumn since 1856. Springs at Christmas lower ~ 
than ever known, and still getting weaker, though the ponds were well — 
supplied by rain of December. 
Broad Hinton.—Wells on the Downs dry at the end of November. 
Weymouth, Langton Herring.—Many wells exhausted for the first 
time. 
Wimborne Minster, Chalbury.— Rainfall 4:14 inches below the average — 
of twenty years. 
Kingsbridge.—Springs failed for first time in memory of man; in — 
many instances had not risen at end of year. 
Kingsteignton.—Least rainfall of ten years. Wells deficient for five 
months. 
Collumpton.—Well of 30 feet depth dry for first time. 
St. Austell, Trevarna.—Wells dry for first time. Stream in adit 
driven into a high hill, that taps a spring 210 feet below the surface to 
supply Tregorrick, became almost dry. 
Maker Vicarage (Devonport).—Wells and springs as low as in 1871; 
remained so until November 20, when a rise set in, and normal height 
was reached on November 28, before the heavy rain fell, which was — 
not until December 2. 
