An Introduction to the Study of South African Rainfall. 5 



The complete Matthews register of monthly totals is given in 

 'Table 13, and for comparison the yearly falls according to the Lee, 

 Sutton, and Meteorological Commission registers. We may extract 

 ihe following set of comparative annual averages : — 



1877-1902 (26 years). 



By Tables 1-12 18-47 inches. 



Matthews 17-81 



1884-1897 (14 years). 



Matthews 18-08 inches. 



Lee 18-53 



Meteorological Commission 19*63 ,, 



1894-1902 (9 years). 



Matthews 18*84 inches. 



Sutton 18-99 „ 



It will be gathered from the comparative results of Table 13 that, 

 •even after making allowances for faulty exposure, the annual fall of 

 one part of Kimberley may differ greatly from that of another. 

 Thus in 1897 the fall at different gauges varied between a little more 

 than 8-75 inches to a little less than 14 inches, most of the variation 

 occurring in March. Also in 1902 the Kenilworth fall was upwards 

 •of 4-5 inches greater than that at the De Beers mine. The actual 

 -annual extremes shown by Table 13 range between 8*85 inches (in 

 1897 at Kenilworth) and 3423 inches (in 1891 at the Exploration 

 ■Company's gauge), a total range of more than 25 inches. This 

 makes the maximum annual total nearly four times the minimum. 

 There is, moreover, a register for Du Toit's Pan showing a much 

 greater range, from 7*79 inches in 1878 to 37*46 inches in 1881, 

 making the maximum nearly five times the minimum.* Without 

 absolutely denying the truthfulness of these exceptional amounts, 

 they should at any rate be received with caution. A minimum of 

 7*90 inches in 1892, reported from the Kimberley gaol, is un- 

 doubtedly too small, the number of rainy days being returned at 

 twenty-nine ! 



It is interesting to compare the annual range of rainfall for Kim- 

 berley with that of some other places. Sir Charles Todd gives very 

 lull and clear information under this head for South Australia.! 



* Report of the Met. Com., 1880, 1881. 



f Met. Obs. made at the Adelaide Observatory, &c, 1899. 



