THE RAINFALL OF GUERNSEY. 157 



figure. At present we are not justified in reasoning that, 

 because we have had in dry years a difference of over three 

 inches, we will retain that difference. All I can now say is 

 that the rainfall of the Town as recorded by my own gauge 

 has for six years been persistently above that of the remainder 

 of the island. And as you have already seen that difference 

 has not been interfered with by the change of station. 



You will be able to study the details of the rainfall at all 

 the six stations in the table given, when it is in your hands, 

 but I may draw your attention to the small rainfall at Claire 

 Mare, 28*50 inches, and the large one at St. George, 36*58 

 inches — a difference in 3 miles of 8*08 inches. Again, the 

 difference between Villa Carey, Grange, with 30*06 inches, and 

 Hauteville, 33*98 inches, viz., 3*92 inches, with only 1,500 

 yards between the stations, would be remarkable were it not 

 that possibly there are ways of explaining these differences, 

 which depend, I think, on peculiarities of the surroundings of 

 the stations. 



I have been peculiarly fortunate in obtaining, in my 

 various changes of residence, very open neighbourhoods, and 

 therefore have probably obtained the maximum or nearly the 

 maximum rainfall. 



As you are probably aware, Dr. Hoskins commenced the 

 rainfall records at a station in New Street, and I have worked 

 out the average of that sta ion and find that the 14 years 

 recorded there gave an average of 35*52 inches. The gauge 

 was then moved to York Place, Candie, and the record there 

 extended over 24 years, which averaged out at 38*04 inches. 

 As the bird flies there is a distance of but 300 yards between 

 York Place and Grange Villa, and yet Dr. Carey is recording 

 but 33 inches. These facts point to the records being in- 

 fluenced by surroundings. Again, my own stations work out 

 at 36 inches, which agrees with the mean of Dr. Hoskins' 

 station, for Dr. Hoskins' mean for the two stations is 36*74 

 inches, and mine for the two stations, Le Hechet and Beau- 

 lieu, is 36*54 inches. We have also a new element introduced 

 by the rainfall pec oliari ties of St. George. At this station 

 the rainfall has been, during 1902, 36*58 inches, almost exactly 

 the average rainfall of the 60 years, but (owing to the deficit) 

 it is really 2*60 inches too high. 



We are, therefore, faced with these difficulties. Claire 

 Mare is recording excessively low falls, Grange too low a fall, 

 l'Ancresse and Les Blanches are near the means of all stations, 

 Hauteville and Fort Koad is in excess of those means, and 

 St. George very much in excess. 



