28 THE FORMS OF WATKR IN 



82. Note the consequence. There is a town called 

 Cahirciveen to the south-west of Magillicuddy's Reeks, 

 at which observations of the rainfall have been made, 

 and -a good distance farther to the north-east, right in 

 the course cf the south-west wind, there is another town, 

 called Portarlington, at which observations of rainfall 

 have also been made. But before the wind reaches the 

 latter station it has passed over the mountains of Kerry 

 and left a great portion of its moisture behind it. 

 What is the result ? At Cahirciveen, as shown by 

 Dr. Lloyd, the rainfall amounts to 59 inches in a year, 

 while at Portarlington it is only 21 inches. 



83. Again, you may sometimes descend from the 

 Alps when the fall of rain and snow is heavy and in- 

 cessant, into Italy, and find the sky over. the plains of 

 Lombardy blue and cloudless, the wind at the same 

 time blowing over the plain towards the Alps. Below 

 the wind is hot enough to keep its vapour in a perfectly 

 transparent state ; but it meets the mountains, is tilted 

 up, expanded, and chilled. The cold of the higher 

 summits also helps the chill. The consequence is that 

 the vapour is precipitated as rain or snow, thus producing 

 bad weather upon the heights, while the plains below, 

 flooded with the same air, enjoy the aspect of the un- 

 clouded summer sun. Clouds blowing from the Alps are 

 also sometimes dissolved over the plains of Lombardy 



84. In connection with the formation of clouds bj 

 mountains, one particularly instructive effW** may be 



