52 DO THE CHANGES OF THE MOON AFFECT THE EAINFALL? 



In the second decennium (1880-89) it was found that the 

 next largest figure was that opposite to the second day; 

 while, in the first decennium, the next largest was in connec- 

 tion with the third day. Taking the two periods together 

 the relative frequency of rain in the twenty years would be 

 as follows : — 



249 

 183 

 195 



First day of change 

 Second day „ 

 Third „ 



Fourth 







Fifth 

 Sixth 

 Seventh 



3J 



79 



173 

 181 

 156 

 166 



627 



676 



1,303 



Thus, it appears that 48 per cent, of the rainfalls, as here 

 noted, occurred on the first three days of the moon's changes, 

 being only 2 per cent, less than in the remaining four days. 

 It will be observed that the numbers are appreciably smaller 

 on the sixth and seventh days. 



Taking now the totals under each of the moon's quarters, 

 in the two periods, we get the following results : — 



1880-89. 



Total number of initial rainfalls 

 in the whole period in 



1870-79. 



Total number of initial rainfalls 

 in the whole period in 



'Last quarter, 159 

 New moon, 165 

 First quarter, 167 



, Full moon, 162 



' Last Quarter, 177 

 New Moon, 146 

 First Quarter, 177 



..Full Moon, 150 



So far as these periods, taken separately, go, we cannot 

 discover any law of relation between the changes, or quarters 

 of the moon, and the rain-fall ; but when we combine the 

 totals of the two tables and take the whole period of twenty 

 years, the result is similar to that which we get from the 

 latter of the two decennial periods (1870-79), the numbers 

 for the twenty years being : 



Last Quarter ... 336 



New Moon ... 311 



First Quarter ... 344 



Full Moon ... 312 



