298 METEOROLOGICAL REPORT, 1866, 



The leading features of the rainfall throughout the British 

 Islands, in 1866, are thus summed up by Mr. Symons : — 

 1. — (a) In every part of England the total fall was above the 

 average. 



(b) The excess in England averaged nineteen per cent, (say 

 one-fifth), but it was irregularly distributed, the only 

 approach to a broad general rule being that the greatest 

 excesses were- mostly on a tract running N.W. from 

 Northampton to Alston in Cumberland. At some sta- 

 tions in this tract the excess was more than 40 per cent. 



(<?) In Scotland there were many stations which had less 

 than their average ; but those in the "West Midland 

 Counties having a considerable excess, the result for 

 the whole country is a trifling excess of about 4 per cent. 



(d) In Ireland the fall was below the average in the East, 

 above it in the West. 



2. (a) Comparing 1866 with the wettest year since 1847, we 



find that there were only three stations (Bolton, Bel- 

 mont, and Preston, all in Lancashire,) in England at 

 which the fall was greatest in 1866, and that, though 

 a wet year, it has not been nearly so rainy as 1 848 and 

 1852. 

 (b) In Scotland the year of previous heaviest rain is very 

 irregular, but there also we find only one station wetter 

 in 1866 than in any previous year. 



3. The final results may be summed up in the verdict, that 



1866 was a wet year, but not so wet as 1860, or 1852, 

 or 1848. 



Attention has been drawn to the effects of rainfall on the har- 

 vest, and the result is thus stated: — In 1859 the rainfall in 

 a given district was 24-30 inches : the harvest was good. 



In 1860, 34-46 inches fell : the harvest was bad. 



In 1861, 24-47 inches fell : the harvest was favourable. 



In 1862, 26-29 inches fell : the harvest was not good. 



In 1863, 27-84 inches fell : but the summer was dry, and a 



good harvest followed. 



