56 ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY, (CEYLON BRANCH.) 



of temperature, when as not unfrequently happens there is 

 a difference of 90° between the temperature in the open at 

 6 a.m., and noon (once this year it was 98°), tells on both 

 Europeans and Natives, and serious disease of all kinds is 

 rife. I am assured that the barometrical observations taken 

 by the Surveyor-General's staff and others have been found 

 of great practical use at times in enabling timely warning of 

 cyclones to be sent to Madras and Calcutta, but as such ob- 

 servations require not only an expensive instrument, but 

 more accuracy in observation than they would be likely to 

 receive when I am away, I have never taken these. The 

 observations on which the subjoined table is based, have 

 however all been taken with standard instruments, and as 

 readings of thermometers and rain-gauges are simple com- 

 pared with those of the barometer, I have been able to train 

 others to take them with accuracy. 



The meteorological year in Dimbula may be considered to 

 commence with the burst of the south-west monsoon, which, 

 in my experience, I have, with one exception, always noted 

 to take place between 27th May and 2nd June. The one 

 exception was I believe in 1874, when it broke about the 

 middle of May, but I cannot be certain of either the day or 

 year, as the detailed observations have been sent to Eng- 

 land. After the burst steady, but not very heavy, rain 

 generally continues for two months with occasional inter- 

 mission. In 1872 the rains began on 2nd June, and never 

 ceased for a quarter-of-an-hour together during the day- 

 time, nor, I believe, during the night, till the 17th July. 

 Seasons, however, sometimes occur during which the intervals 

 of fine weather are so prolonged that the lately planted 

 clearings suffer much. During August and the first half of 

 September, though rain falls on about three days out of 

 four, the showers are not so heavy, and a considerable portion 

 of the day is usually fine. Towards the end of September 



