of the Australian Alps. 



127 



As the spring is fully three weeks later at Omeo, Omeo 

 Plains, and the higher uplands at 3000-feet elevations, than 

 on the lowlands up to 1000 feet, the October rains are generally 

 most favourable to agricultural pursuits, and ensure seasonal 

 regularity well adapted for cereal growths. The greatest fall 

 of rain during 24 hours occurred on 28th February, 1880, 

 when the gauge measured 3*38 inches, the wind blowing- 

 from S.W". That the amount of rainfall is greatest at the 

 normal line of cloud flotation, approximately 3000 to 4000 

 feet in the Australian Alps, will be seen by comparing the 

 records from those stations such as Grant, 4000 feet, in the 

 Mitchell River, with those at Dargo, 1000 feet, in the same 

 basin, only 14 miles distant. Thus during three or four 

 years the average annual rainfall at Grant is probably 50 

 inches, at Dargo not more than 30 inches. Independently 

 of the elevation, the situation of the station largely affects 

 the precipitation of rain, which helps to increase the differ- 

 ence ; for instance, the trend of the Dargo River valley from 

 Dargo is southerly, and although partly exposed to the 

 moisture-laden winds from the Pacific, it is nearly sur- 

 rounded by high ranges. Grant, on the contrary, is on the 

 crest of a high range fully exposed to the influence of south- 

 westerly moisture-laden winds which sweep up the Dargo 

 and Wongungarra Rivers, and to the north-western winds 

 which are carried across the Dargo High Plains from the 

 valley of the Ovens and tributaries. A station such as that 

 which it is hoped may be established at Mount St. Bernard* 

 would also show a proportionately large amount of snow or 

 rainfall, as the ascensional movements of air from the valleys 

 of the Ovens to the N.N.W., aad the Wonmm£arra to the 

 S.S.W., would doubtless be found to ensure a greater pre- 

 cipitation than other stations not so situated, although at a 

 similar elevation of 5000 feet. The relation between winds 

 and rainfall at Omeo is shown in the following table : — 



Year. 



North. 



N.W. 



N.E. 



South. 



S.W. 



S.E. 



E. 



w. 



18S0 



■20 



7-26 



1-65 





22-49 



•25 





_ 



1881 



■99 



5-74 



5 48 



201 



5-38 



1-87 



— 



•20 



1882 



1-03 



669 



4-94 



2-54 



6.26 



3-30 



•12 



•03 



1883 



■64 



10-36 



•87 



343 



4 90 



1-09 



•26 



•18 



Average 



■71 



7-51 



324 



2-00 



9-76 



1-63 



•09 



•10 



Since this was written I have erected instruments at Mount St. Bernard, 

 5036-feet elevation, in charge of Mr. Boustead. 



