Miscellanies. 193 



As a good meteorological register has been long kept at Geneva, 

 the author thought it would be interesting to ascertain from the tables, 

 (which have been carefully published in the Bibliotheque of that city,) 

 whether, during a period of 34 years, viz. from 1800 to 1833, any 

 inferences could be drawn for or against the popular opinion on the 

 subject of lunar influence. He finds, during these 34 years, the 

 number of rainy days and the quantity of water fallen to be as fol- 

 lows : — 



At the New moon. 



First quarter. 



Full moon, 



Last quarter. 

 Throughout the whole period. 



Thus it appears, that during 34 years, or 12,419 days, compre- 

 hending 420 synodic revolutions of the moon, there have been 3,657 

 rainy days. This gives, for every 100 days, 29.45 rainy days, and 

 we find, that 



For every 100 days of new moon, 29.29 have been rainy. 



Do. do. first quarter, 29.05 do. do. 



Do. do. full moon, 31.43 do. do. 



Do. do. last quarter, 30.48 do. do. 



Hence, it is evident, that during these 34 years at Geneva, the days 



of new moon and the days of the first quarter have been just about 



as liable to be rainy days as any other common day of the month, 



while the days of full moon and those of the last quarter have been 



rather more liable. 



But although the days of full moon have been rather more fre- 

 quently wet days than those of new moon, it does not follow that 

 more water has fallen at full moon than at the change. The result 

 of observation in that respect is as follows : — 



For every 100 days of new moon, there fell 102.9 lines. 

 Do. do. first quarter, do. 102.3 " 



Do. do. full moon, do. 90.0 " 



Do. do. last quarter, do. 87.9 " 



The average quantity for every 100 days is 93.6 lines, whence it ap- 

 pears, that at the new moon, the first quarter, and the full moon, more 

 water has fallen than on common days; at the last quarter, less. The 

 quantity fallen on the lotal of the lunar phases, surpasses that on other 

 days in the proportion of 98 to 93.6. 

 Vol. XXVII.— No. 1. 25 



