i282 



KEPORT 1866. 



severance, and the aid of a portion of the press, the number has been raised 

 until there are now more than 1200 places whence returns are regiilarly re- 

 ceived. Still I know there are many more, probably hundreds, who have 

 either never heard of the establishment of a central depot to which copies of 

 aU rain records should be sent, or they have been too diffident to send them. 

 It is of paramount importance to gather these, and make the Tables yet more 

 complete. I therefore beg leave through your columns to ask every reader 

 to think for a moment if he or she knows of any one who keeps, or has kept, 

 a rain-gauge ; or who has any tables of rainfall (or old weather journals) in 

 their possession. And if they do know of such persons, I ask them on behalf 

 of science, of my fellow-observers, and on my own behalf, to use eveiy effort 

 to secure theti- assistance, and to favour- me with their names and addresses. 

 We want old records, we want records for the present year, and from many 

 parts of the coimtry we want returns for the future, if a few persons will 

 notify to me theii' willingness to assist, and to pay 10s. 6d. for the very 

 cheap and simple gauge now supplied. 



To prevent needless correspondence, I annex a list of the places in Bedford- 

 shire whence returns have been already collected for the years mentioned in the 

 last column, and shall be very glad of any additions or corrections. Other 

 counties, or the complete list for the whole countiy, shall be sent to any one 

 willing to make good use of it. I may add that an influential committee of 

 the British Association has been appointed to superiatend and assist in my 

 investigations, and that they cordially support my present application. 



I am. Sir, your obedient Servant, 



136 Camden Eoad, London, N.W. G. J. Stmons. 



The Committee consists of J. Glaisher, Esq., F.E.S. ; Lord Wrottesley, 

 F.R.S. ; Prof. Phillips, F.R.S. ; Prof. Tyndall, F.R.S. ; Dr. Lee, F.R.S. ; 

 J. F. Bateman, Esq., F.E.S. ; E. W. Mylne, Esq., F.E.S., and myself. 



Bebfoedshibe. 



The practical results of the publication of upwards of a million copies of 

 this circular were awaited with much interest. Many hundi-eds (if not 

 thousands) of letters were received, but the majority of them referred either 

 to observers with whom Mr. Symons was already in correspondence, or to old 

 observations already collected. About 200 letters notified that the writers 

 had recently procured rain-gauges, and would be happy to send the results 

 in future ; and about 100 only contained what was (and is) most required, 

 namely, old observations not previously collected — some of these were very 

 valuable records ; but on the whole the result of the appeal was to confirm 

 the belief that there are not now very many records in private hands of which 

 copies are not already obtained and classified. 



