SUNSHINE KECOKDS. 405 



Thus in the month of May there was practical agreement 

 between the two records, Avhilst the more favoured conditions 

 of the Channel Islands w^ere most strongly marked in March, 

 July and August. The winter difference is less striking than 

 that in summer, Avlien we remember that the days are much 

 longer in summer in the North of Scotland than in the South 

 of England, the converse of course being the case in the w^inter 

 half-year. Indeed, for its full interpretation, a sunshine record 

 should be considered from two points of view. Thus we may 

 say that in July, 1907, Jersey enjoyed fully three hours per day 

 more sunshine than Stornoway, or w^e may consider the total 

 number of hours that the sun w-as above the horizon in either 

 latitude, and obtain the following comparison : — 



Sunshine — July, 1907. 



159 hours at Stornoway equal 30 p.c. of possible. 

 259 „ Jersey ,, 54 ., ,, 



And in the same month there was an even greater contrast 

 between the Channel Islands and the Orkneys, when an aggre- 

 gate of 103 hours at Deerness represented only 19 per cent. 

 of the possible amount. 



Amongst the Scottish stations, Aberdeen and Nairn come 

 first. As a rule in any year the sunniest districts in Scotland 

 are to be found in the north-east and south-east, sheltered as 

 these are ])y the Grampians and the southern uplands from the 

 cloud-bearing westerly winds. There is not material to afford 

 a detailed comparison between east and west, but the great 

 superiority of Aberdeen to Stornoway indicates that the greater 

 rainfall characteristic of the west coast is, as we should expect, 

 associated Avith rather less sunshine. 



THE SEASONAL DISTRIBUTION. 



In the east of Scotland 1907 made a brilliant start. January, 

 February and March had each a most generous allowance of sun- 

 shine : indeed, in the month of February, Edinburgh appears to 

 have been about the sunniest place in our islands, enjoying 

 fully half-an-hour's more sunshine per day even than Bourne- 

 mouth, and fully an hour more per (lay than Jersey, the actual 

 records were : — 



February, 1907. 



Edinbiu-gh 125 



Bournemouth 107 



Jersey 89 



April diff'ered little from average conditions, but thereafter 

 the weather showed a progressive deterioration in the matter 

 of sunshine, and the wet month of May had actually less 

 sunshine than February, a month with much shorter days and 



