TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 37 
pressures of two neighbouring regions; and that this tendency to a constant local 
difference is, in certain cases, maintained throughout those great revolutions of 
atmospheric density, composition, and movement which accompany the alternations 
of the monsoons. Nevertheless these states, though protracted, are not perma- 
nent, and disappear after a longer or shorter time, sometimes suddenly, but more 
sac peel by a graduated decrease.” 
he author then proceeded to notice certain relations between these barometric 
irregularities and the distribution of the rainfall in these years. In 1868, more 
especially in the months of June and August, when the pressure was at its lowest 
in the N.W. corner of the bay of Bengal, there was an excessive fall of rain in the 
S.W. corner of the Gangetic delta—the greatest fall in each of these months being 
about 100 miles to the north of the place of greatest depression, thus showing a 
certain analogy to the case of cyclones, in which the heaviest rainfall isin advance 
of the centre of the storm. The year 1871 was one of unusually heavy rainfall in 
Bengal, the N.W. Provinces, and Central India, indicating a somewhat similar 
relation to the areas of abnormal barometric depression of that year. In 1873, 
again, which was one of very deficient rainfall in most parts of Northern India, 
the Punjab (which lay beyond the Oudh depression) and Burmah (which lay beyond 
that of the Nicobars in the direction of the monsoon currents) enjoyed a plentiful 
rain Le But the deficient rainfall of that and the preceding year in Bengal 
cannot be thus explained; and although it can hardly be doubted that the abnormal 
peculiarities in the distribution of pressure must be very influential in determining 
those of the rainfall, the author thinks that no satisfactory discussion of their rela- 
tions is possible without a knowledge of the state of atmospheric pressure over the 
whole region concerned with the Indian branches of the monsoons. 
_— 
On the apparent Connexion between Sun-spots and Atmospheric Ozone. 
By T, Morrar. 
The author stated that he had compared the mean daily quantity of ozone for 
each year for nineteen years with the number of new groups of sun-spots which 
appeared in each year, and the results showed that the maximum of sun-spots 
occurred in the same year as the maximum of ozone, and the period of minimum 
of sun-spots coincided with that of the minimum of ozone, 
On a Gymbal-swung Rain-gauge. By F. Pastoretxt. 
The author submitted for criticism a gymbal-swung rain-gauge provided below 
the gymbals with a spherical receptacle of so much larger area than the funnel, 
that the pressure of the wind upon it should tilt the funnel towards the point 
whence the rain is falling. He also suggested that by duly weighting it might 
answer on board ship. 
On the Importance of Improved Methods of Registration of Wind on the Coast, 
with a notice of an Anemometer designed by Mr. W. De La Rue, F.R.S., to 
furmsh Telegraphic Information of the Occurrence of Strong Winds. By 
Rosert H. Scort, M.A., F.R.S. 
It is hardly necessary to draw the attention of men of science to the fact, that the 
configuration of the earth’s surface exercises an overwhelming influence on the wind 
both as to its direction and force. Some statements and tables contained in a 
pene: by the author in the last Number of the ‘Quarterly Journal of the Meteoro- 
ogical Society ’* abundantly prove this assertion, and it is therefore easy to see what 
an imperfect representation of the actual force of the wind at sea can be furnished by 
reports from a broken and mountainous coast, such as the Atlantic coasts of Ireland 
* “ An attempt to establish a relation between the Velocity of the Wind and its Force 
(Beaufort scale), with some Remarks on Anemometrical Observations in General,” by 
Robert H. Scott, F.R.S., Quart. Journ. Meteor. Soe, vol. ii. p. 109, 
