Sketch of tlie Pl^'sical Nature of Cyprus. 



11 



while the south-eastern corner (neighbourhood of Larnaka) is the driest part of tlie island. It must, 

 however, be noticed, that the amount of rain is subjected to rather considerable variations from year to 



year; thus, for instance, the mean rainfall of Cyprus in the period 

 1881—91 varied from 240.0 mm. (in 1901—02) to 600.5 mm. 

 (in 1893 — 94). 



As already mentioned, the most important quantity of rain 

 falls in the winter months ; in the summer half-year (May — 

 October) the rainfall does not make more than about '/u of the 

 total quantity of the year. The average amount of rain at the 

 six stations for each month in the period 1887 — 91 was as 

 follows : 



JFMAMJJASONO 



Fig. 3. Average Amount of Rainfall for Each Month 



at the Six District Towis in the Period 1887—91. 



The months are marked with their initials. 



.Tan. . . 



Febr. . . 



March . 



April. . 



May . . 



June . . 



July . . 



Aug. . . 



Septbr. 



Octbr. . 



Novbr. 



Decbr. . 



The diagram here above (Fig. 3) still better shows, how regularly the monthly rainfall oscillates 

 between the maximum in December (136.9 mm.) and the minimum in July (O.o mm.). In unusually dry 

 years the summer half-year 

 may be practically without 

 rain; thus for instance, ac- 

 cording to Bellamy, the total 

 rainfall at Larnaka in the 

 months April-September 189s 

 did not exceed 1.5 mm., and 

 at Kyrenia the same months 

 1900 2.5 mm. The rains gene- 

 rally begin in November, cul- 

 minate in December, and gra- 

 dually decrease in the course 

 of the spring-months and the 

 first part of the summer until 

 July with its complete lack of 

 measurable rainfall. 



S n w is extremely rare 

 in the lower regions of the 

 island, and when it falls does 

 not last for more than a few 



hours. Quite otherwise is the i..i„. 4 -i-i^j, l^,^^^l j^e^t of the Winter's Snow. Near the Sumniit of ( 'liionistra. ca. 1940 ni. 

 state of things in the moun- above Sea-Level. — After a photogriiph liy the author, .Tune 24th, 1905. 



