304 Meteorological Tables. 
It will be perceived by a glance at this Table, that June, 
July, and November are the wettest months, and that in the 
latter month, there is, almost invariably, the greatest amount 
of rain, of any month in the year. Although these results 
show that a much larger amount of rain fell in the year 1849 
than in any other year since these observations were com- 
menced, it was confined to the southern parts of the island, 
as the principal quantity which fell in the months of July 
and November (viz., 15 inches) came from the south, with 
strong gales from that quarter. Its effect was not, therefore, 
felt much in the interior parts of the island, or not sufficiently 
to cause the disastrous floods that occurred in 1852. On 
the contrary, in 1852, although 10 inches less rain fell in 
Hobart Town than in 1849, the rivers in the northern and 
central parts of the island were so swollen, that bridges were 
swept away in all directions, and a vast amount of property 
destroyed. 
The difference is owing to the quarter from whence the 
rain comes. In 1849, all the heavy rain was from the 8. ; 
in 1852, it all came from the N. E. and gradually veered 
round to N. and N. W.; so that all the mountain ranges 
from whence the rivers take their rise received an abundant 
supply, and every tributary stream being filled to over- 
flowing helped to fill the main branches, which in their 
onward course swept every thing before them. 
Two Volumes of the Magnetical and Meteorological 
Observations, made at Hobart Town under my direction, 
have been published by the British Government. They are 
principally devoted to the investigation of the Horary, 
Diurnal, and Annual variations of the Magnetic Elements, 
with their peculiar changes, to investigate which was the 
