i;y GEORGE CLAYTON ATKINSON, ESQ. 117 



The Rev. George Iliff, Field House, Sunderland. The fall in 

 October was the heaviest registered by me since 1854 ; and the 

 heaviest day's fall was on October 23rd, when T38 fell. 



Mr. J. Wilfred Mounsey, Hendon Hill. Nearly -75 of rain 

 fell on 22nd October in about thirteen minutes. 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 



The rainfall in 1864, estimating it by table (27), of returns 

 from six sets of stations feeding the Tyne above "Wylam Bridge, 

 was greatly in excess of the average quantity during the six win- 

 ter months ; i.e., from October to March both included ; the fall 

 amounting to 20*35 inches ; while for the remaining six months, 

 from April to September both included the fall was 9*93, mak- 

 ing together 30-28. Had the fall in winter and summer been 

 in the proportion shown by fifteen years' observations at "West 

 Denton* and "Wylam, this 30 inches would have given 14 for the 

 winter and 1 6 for the summer half of the year. 



The monthly height of the Tyne at Wylam Bridge, is placed 

 in a parallel column (27) to that of the rain, at places supplying 

 it ; very little coincidence however exists between them ; a fact 

 not to be wondered at when the different circumstances under 

 which rain falls are considered. 



Thus the Tynometer was highest on 14th March, when on the 

 melting of the snow the water reached 16 - 5 feet, and the mean 

 height of the river was also highest (3*83) for the same month ; 

 the ground being saturated with moisture, as well as in some 

 measure impenetrable by reason of frost, so that all that fell upon 

 it flowed away immediately into the Tyne ; while the great fall in 

 the end of October occurred after a very dry summer, and was in 

 a great measure absorbed by the earth at the time. 



Speaking generally, the fall for the year in the districts of our 

 tables did not vary much from the average quantity ; some places 

 showing less and some more. 



* I use the West Denton observations here merely for the comparative amount of rain 

 monthly. 



