﻿RESEARCH IN BRITISH WEST AFRICA. 155 



(6) The humidity is greatest in the delta of the Niger and is much greater in 

 Southern than in Northern Nigeria, the monthly range increasing fiom south to 

 north. 



(7) The means of the average monthly maximum temperatures, and also of 

 the minima all lie within a very circumscribed compass. 



(8) The range in the maxima for the various months increases from south to 

 north, as also does the difference between the maximum and minimum in any 

 month, this difference being greatest in the dry season. 



III. Narrative. 



(a) The Western Province. 



This province, which includes the old Colony of Lagos, is situated in the 

 Bight of Benin, and extends from French Dahomey on the west to the Central 

 Province of Southern Nigeria and the Kabba Province of Northern Nigeria on 

 the east, while on the north it is bounded by the provinces of Ilorin and Borgu 

 in Northern Nigeria. It has an area of over 28,000 square miles and a popu- 

 lation of over two and a half millions. 



Topographically it is distinct from the rest of the Protectorate and also from 

 Northern Nigeria, but is more intimately connected with French Dahomey. 

 With the exception of the lagoons in the south, which connect with the delta of 

 the Niger, it has its own distinctive river system. It is irrigated by several 

 small rivers with innumerable tributaries, practically all of which have their 

 origin within the Province. These pour their waters into the series of lagoons 

 which unite and connect with the sea at Lagos. 



The hills of Shaki in the north and those of Ilesha in the north-east form the 

 water-shed between this system and the tributaries of the Niger which flow 

 northwards in this region, while the Idanre hills in the Ondo District constitute 

 a dividing line between the rivers of the Western and Central Provinces. 



The largest and most important river in the Province under discussion is the 

 Ogun, which rises practically at the boundary of Northern and Southern Nigeria 

 in the extreme north-west, runs almost due south through the districts of Shaki, 

 Oyo, Ibadan, and Abeokuta, and empties itself into the Lagos lagoon between 

 Ebutemetta and Ikorodu. On this river the most important towns are Olokemeji, 

 Aro, and Abeokuta, all of which are on the Lagos Railway, which follows the 

 valley of the river from Ebutemetta to a point some distance north of Eruwa Road. 



The chief tributaries of the Ogun River are the Opeki, the Oyun, the Owiwi, 

 and the Awon, which all rise in the highlands of Shaki, and, running in a south- 

 easterly direction, join the Ogun on its right bank. 



West of the Ogun River, the only stream of any importance is the Yewa 

 River, which rises in French Dahomey and enters Nigeria south of Meko. 

 Running almost due south through the district of Badagri, close to the French 

 border, it enters the Badagri lagoon near the town of that name. 



East of the Ogun River are a large number of small streams which rise in the 

 north of the Ibadan and Ilesha districts 3 and flow almost due south to enter the 



