ON THE RAINFALL IN THE BRITISH ISLES. 



285 



should we not find the rainfall in the places they cover above that of neigh- 

 boiiring stations ? By the cooperation of the Thames Conservancy Commis- 

 sioners and the observer at Weybridge Heath (W. F. Harrison, Esq.), three 

 gauges have been erected -with a view of testing the point*. There ■w'as 

 obviously some little difficulty in deciding on the best mode of fixing the 

 gauge in the middle of the river, yet where it should be safe from injury by 

 the barges or mischievous people. Eventually it was fixed on the top of one 

 of the guard piles protecting Shepperton Weir ; Mr. Symons felt at the time 

 that, elevated 6 ft. above the water, 150 ft. from either bank, the gauge would, 

 from its exposed position, catch too little, less even than the ordinary fall at 

 that height, because of the great exposure, still he did not then see any better 

 arrangement. On receipt of the following report from Mr. Harrison we are 

 inclined next year to try if we can have the gauge moored floating on the 

 stream, with its mouth only a foot or so above it. 



Rainfall Observations at three Stations at and near Weybridge, Surrey. 



Remaeks. 



The fall at station 2 diff'ers but slightly from that at station 1, but is in 

 deiect five times for twice that it is in excess. 



The fall at station 3 is very remarkably in defect of that at station 1, and 

 materially so of that at station 2, being only once in excess of either of the 

 other stations respectively. I think the extraordinary discrepancy between 

 the fall at station 3 and that at the other stations during January and 

 February is to be accounted for by the high winds which accompanied the 

 rain in those months, causing much drift and splashing at such an exposed 

 station as No. 3. The observer at that station is very careful, and has, I 

 think, recorded the fall accurately. ^^ ^ ^ 



T> ,. w u -J TT .u W. F. Harrison. 



Jjartropps, Weybridge Heath. 



* Station No. 1 is on the northern slope of a rising ground, about a quarter of a mile 

 E.S.E. of the Weybridge Station of the London and South-Western Railway ; No. 2 is 

 close to Weybridge Church, about one mile N.N.W. of Station No. 1, and nearly level 

 with the river ; No. 3, at Shepperton Weir, is half a mile N.N.W. of No. 2, and one mile 

 and a half N.N.W. of No. 1. 



