1851.] Influence of the Moon on the Weather. 279 



It will be seen that the number of days in which rain fell during 

 the period of observation was 58, of which 24 belonged to the New 

 and Full Moon Periods, and 34 to the two remaining Periods. Again, 

 of the total quantity of rain — 20.35 inches — which fell ; 1 1 .46, fell dur- 

 ing the New and Full Periods, and 8.89 during the remaining two ; so 

 that while more rain fell about the time of New and Full Moon, there 

 was a greater number of rainy days during the intervening Periods. 

 The number of cloudy days, again, during the New and Full Moon 

 Periods, was nearly double the number of those during the remain- 

 ing Periods. The same may be said of the change, or departure 

 from the normal direction of the wind, which at Agra is, as already 

 said, about west. It is to be observed, however, that the change in 

 the direction of the wind, and occurrence of cloud, are closely allied 

 and may indeed be looked upon, with reference to cause, as merely 

 phases of the same phenomena. The difference which appears to be 

 most decidedly in favour of the moon's influence is in the matter of 

 storms. These, however, when they begin, usually follow each other 

 for a few days in quick succession, and the inequality may, therefore, 

 until further evidence be produced, be looked upon as in some measure 

 accidental. This view is encouraged by the fact, that of the four days 

 of storm occurring during the second and last periods, the whole 

 happened during the latter. It is unlikely that this would have been 

 the case were they due to lunar influence ; for since the moon passes 

 through corresponding positions relatively to the earth and sun, during 

 the former as during the latter period, some of them would have 

 probably happened in the one as well as in the other. Doubts, such 

 as these, can only be removed by observations extending over long 

 periods, and on this account I propose continuing them or having 

 them continued, as mentioned above. It must be allowed, I think, 

 that so far as these results go, they seem to vindicate in some degree 

 the moon's title to the power with which she has been supposed to 

 be endowed. 



The meteor mentioned among the observations was sufficiently 

 remarkable to entitle it to description — it appeared on the morning 

 of the 4th September. 



I was awoke on the morning of that day after 4 o'clock by my friend 

 Mr. Williams, Head Master of the College, who announced to me 



