666 THE METEORS OF OCTOBER, 1877. 



7. The variation in the rainfall of India involves the food-supply of that 

 country, and is a question of famine and starvation. Observations on the 

 variations of water-supply, in India, of course go no further back than 

 the introduction of rain-gauges. Commencing the inquiry in the year 

 1810, Messrs. Lockyer and Hunter say: " The years of famine in Mad- 

 ras since that date have been 1811, 1824, 1833, 1854, 1866 and 1877. These 

 famines were caused by deficient rainfall in the preceding years, namely, 

 1810, 1823, 1832, 1853, 1865, and 1876. Now, five out of these ^six years of 

 drought fell within the three years' group [of minimum rainfall and sun- 

 spots (shown in the foregoing tables) the remaining drought (1853 — '55) 

 extended over a year immediately preceding the minimum group, and two 

 years within that group ; the famine itself resulting within the minimum 

 group. Three of the six years of drought fell exactly in years of minimum 

 sun-spots ; one fell in the year preceding a year of minimum sun-spots ; 

 one fell in the second year preceding the a year of minimum sun-spots 

 the remaining drought, 1853 — '55, fell in the first, second and third yeara 

 preceding a year of minimum sun-spots. . . . No famine in Madras lias 

 been recorded from 1810 to 1877 caused by a drought lying entirely outside 

 the minimum group;'of sun-spots and rainfall." 



We bave here been able only to hint at the points made in the paper re- 

 ferred to. The case is strong, in fact much of it demonstrative, yet it is, of 

 course, most incomplete. Though important practical conclusions have been 

 reached, the investigation is in its crude, preliminary stage, where the truth 

 is caught vaguely and by glimpses rather than seen clearly and by a steady 

 gaze. Yet it is a magnificent research, with already-assured results and a 

 splendid promise. We commend the subject to the eensideration of those 

 who hold that science, to be genuine, must have become exact, certain and 

 perfect. — Popular Science Monthly. 



THE METEORS OF OCTOBER 1-20, 1877. 

 W. E. DENNING, F. R. A. S. 



Here in England the weather was much clearer than usual during the 

 month of October. Between the 1st and 20th, I made a series of observa- 

 tions of shooting-stars, and succeeded in noting 522 of them during the 43^ 

 hours I was enabled to look at the sky. In the mornings 338 were seen in 

 22^ hours, and in the evenings 184 were seen in 21|^ hours. Thus the rate 

 of frequency in the mornings greatly exceeded that recorded in the even- 

 ings, the calculated horary numbers for one observer (after making certain al- 

 lowances for time spent in registering the paths) 20.3 being and 10.1 re- 

 spectively, and for the whole of the night, 15.0. This is rather in excess of 

 the usual figures, and the horary number a. m. as compared with that p. m 

 is also in excess, and readily accounted for by the fact that the chief October 

 shower called the Orionids is not favorably visible until after midnight. 



