THE BIRDS OP THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 



493 



The climate of the Division is generally considered healthy, 

 and, except in the moist and well-wooded tracts in the vicinity 

 of the Ganges and Gogra, where malarious fever is common 

 during, and for a while after the rains, differs but little from 

 that of Lucknow itself. That being so, the meteorological and 

 thermometrical observations recorded at that station, situated 

 as it is in the centre of the Division, may be taken to represent 

 the climatic peculiarities of the latter fairly well. Commencing 

 then with the rainfall, the following is the record for ten 

 euccessive years : — 



Years. 



1870 

 1871 

 1872 

 1873 



1874- 



The monthly mean temperature of these years was as follows : — 



In 1876, 1877 and 1878 the rainfall, it will be seen, was 

 much below the average — remarkably so in 1877,* and the mean 

 temperature was also higher — facts that should be particularly 

 noted, because, in another part of this paper, I shall have to 

 refer to some consequent changes in the aspect of particular 

 localities and to the influence these years of drought had on 

 the distribution of the avifauna. 



But to form an accurate idea of the climate and raiufall, 

 it is necessary to give in detail the recorded observations of 



* On looking over the Meteorological Records, &c, of Lucknow for the figures 

 embodied in the above tables, I noticed that a deficient rainfall for three years 

 was indicated as a possibility by Dr. Bonavia as far back as 1873. Referring to 

 Mr. Meldrum's sun-spot theory, and its connection with the rainfall, Dr. Bonavia 

 went on to say in his Annual Report for 1872-73 that, " if this law be true, in Luck- 

 now we have lately passed the period of maximum rainfall, and are descending 

 towards the period of minimum rainfall, so that during the years 1877-78 and 1879 

 there would be a scarcity of rain, and in one of those years the minimum rainfall 

 of the cycle would occur." How remarkably accurate has this forecast proved 

 to be.— G. JR. 



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