31 



OX TITE RAINFALL OF SINGAPORE. 



average of the Prison register is more markedly in excess, being 

 99.96 inches (Table II.). The average annual number of wet 

 days, as will be seen from Tables IV. and V., has only to a small 

 extent been diminished in the Prison Kegister, but exceeded in Mr 

 Knight's. That there are seasons of marked falling off of the 

 rainy season, is noticeable so early as 1824 ; and the order of their 

 recurrence is worth studying. The smallest number of wet days, 

 as recorded, is 109 in 1877, during which year, as will be seen on 

 referring to Table VIII., the second half of the South-TVest mon- 

 soon was almost a complete failure, while the greatest number of 

 wet days in recent years was 212 days in 1871, and 244 in 1879 at 

 Mr. Knight's place : this last even exceeding that given for 1820. 



The heavy falls of rain do not appear to be confined to any par- 

 ticular month. They are most frequent during the first half of 

 the North-East monsoon, that is, the months of November, De- 

 cember and January. There are no recorded heavy rainfalls for 

 February or July, and, but for one instance recorded by Mr. 

 Vaughan, none in March also. These are best shown as below : — 





Mr. Vatjghan's 



Prison 



Mr. Knight's 





register. 



register. 



register. 



January, . . . 



1 



2 



4 



February, . . . 









March, 



1 







April, 



1 





1 



May, 



. 



2 



2 



June, 



. . . 



1 



1 



July, 









August, . . . 





2 



2 



September,.. 





1 



1 



October, ... 





1 





November, .. 





2 



1 



December, .. 



2 



1 



5 



Droughts. — This word must be used guardedly, and can only 

 apply in a limited sense. I have, therefore, shown it in Tables VJ. 

 and VII. as the greatest consecutive number of dags without rain in 

 each month. According to Table VI., the greatest interval without 



