178 REPORT— 1872. 



The result of subsequent correspondence was the establishment of a chain 

 of stations over the entire system of the Highland and Dingwall and Skye 

 railways. Fifty gauges, with pegs for fixing, instructions, and blank obser- 

 vation forms were sent to Inverness, and distributed and erected by the offi- 

 cials of the Company at various selected stations, with the exception of a few 

 •which are retained in store until the northern extension of the line will en- 

 able them to be placed in Sutherland and Caithness. It only remains to add 

 that the station-agents, with scarcely an exception, understand their work 

 and do it punctually and well. Another district in which additional stations 

 are urgently required is that traversed by the Caledonian Canal ; and there- 

 fore a letter similar to the one abeady quoted was addressed to the gentleman 

 who, our Secretary was informed, was iu charge of the Canal. As, however, 

 the letter has not been acknowledged, our efforts in that direction have been 

 futile. 



It is generally the case that expenditure on the part of this Association 

 leads to equal or greater expenditure for similar objects by other persons. 

 This has been specially the case with rainfall work, and an illustration may 

 be quoted from the events of 1 ist year. Simultaneouslj' with the above action 

 of the Committee, the Earl of Breadalbane (through his agent Mr. J. P. Smith, 

 C.E.) has undertaken to supply returns from a scries of stations between 

 Aberfeldy and Tyndrum and other important localities in the Avatershed of 

 the Tay and Rannoch. Several of the gauges were fixed by our Seeretar}'-, 

 and the sites for others selected by him ; and if the observations are regularly 

 taken they will be of great utility. 



A very limited number of gauges have also been supplied to I'emote districts 

 of England and Wales; but the price of rain-gauges is now so low, that there can 

 be but few persons, who are able and willing to take charge of a gauge, to whom 

 the cost can be prohibitory. Your Committee are fully aware that in many 

 parts of the country additional observations are desirable ; but there are so 

 many expenses incidental to the collection of the observations and their dis- 

 cussion, that they do not feel justified, considering the very limited means 

 at their disposal, in lending gauges except to very isolated stations. Their 

 Secretary will, however, be happy to render any information or assistance in 

 his power to persons who may be willing to set up gauges ; and it is hoped 

 that by tKe maintenance and development of the present organization, these 

 vacant spaces may gradually be occupied. 



Owing to the illness of our Secretary, the forms of inquiry respecting the 

 positions &c. of aU the rain-gauges in the country (not only of those belonging 

 to this Association, but also of the much more numerous private ones) were not 

 issued as soon as was originally intended. About 1000 arc, however, now cir- 

 culated, and the rest will foUow in less than a month. Those which have been 

 returned have nearly all been filled up in a very complete and satisfactory 

 manner, auguring well for the success of the proposal. 



Another step taken with the same object, viz. the attainment of precise 

 knowledge respecting the gauges in use, their eTrors and position, has been 

 taken during the past year. Our Secretary has long possessed a travelling- 

 case containing the standard measures necessary for verifying any rain-gauge 

 without removing it from its position ; and in previous reports we have given 

 the results of several hundred examinations of rain-gauges in situ made with 

 this apparatus. Owing, however, to oui' limited funds, this examination has 

 been obliged to be curtailed ; and as a partial counterpoise to this curtailment, 

 we have caused to be constructed a precisely similar testing-case, and pre- 

 senlcd it to the Scottish Meteorological Society, whose Secretary will in futiu'e 



