CONTENTS 



Introduction . 



Collection and tabulation of records and results 



Special references to records 



Description of rain-gauges . 



Explanatory remarks on records . 

 Tables of the aqueous precipitation in the United States 



Explanation of Table A of average rain-fall for each month, season, and 3-ear 



Explanation of Table B, of amount of rain-fall for a series of years 



Tables A and B 

 Generalization of tabular results and construction of rain-charts of the United States 



General character of the distribution of rain during the year 



Distribution of rain in summer ... 



Distribution of rain (and snow) in winter 

 Investigation of the annual fluctuation in the rain-fall 



Permanency of the annual fluctuation 



Causes of the annual fluctuation .... 



Distribution of rainy days in the 3'ear 

 Investigation of the secular changes in the rain-fall . 



List of Illustrations: 



Diagram 1. Characteristic annual fluctuation of rain-fall at Marietta, Ohio ; at San 

 Francisco, Gal.; and at Boston, Mass. ..... 



Diagram 2. Eight type-curves of the annual fluctuation in rain-fall 



Diagram 3. Geographical distribution of the first or Atlantic coast type of annual 

 rain-fall and position of observing stations ..... 



Diagram 4. Monthly percentage of the annual rain-fall, at different epochs, at Charles- 

 ton, South Carolina ........ 



Diagram 5. Fluctuations in the annual rain-fall, Atlantic sea-coast, Maine to Maryland 



Diagram 6. Fluctuations in the annual rain-fall, State of New York and adjacent locali- 

 ties ......•••• 



Diagram 7. Fluctuations in the annual rain-fall, valley of the Ohio River, from Ohio to 

 eastern Missouri .....••• 



Diagram 8. Graphical representation of successive means of the annual rain-fall 



Plates I. to V. Annual fluctuation in the rain-fall at stations of long series of observa- 

 tions, and showing the same characteristics in their annual distribution 

 in the rain ; referred to on pages 12G, 121. 



Charts, three in number, showing the geographical distribution of rain (and melted 

 snow) in the United States for the whole year, the summer and the winter 

 seasons, respective^ ; referred to on pages 120 — 124. 



List op Meteorological Stations .....-•• 



List of Observers .... .... 



Index ...... .... 



(iii) 



I 



li 

 * 



5 

 8 



11 to 119 

 . 13 

 . 87 



1G to 119 

 . 120 

 . 120 

 . 122 

 122 

 . 124 

 . 130 

 . 138 

 . 139 

 . 142 



125 

 129 



134 



131 

 155 



150 



156 

 157 



161 

 169 

 175 



