10 



The Neilgherry 3Iou?iiams. 



[No. 3-1, 



discharge their contents by the opposition offered to their flight by 

 the high spurs ^vhich run out from the Dodabetta range and interpose 

 between the \yest and Coonoor. 



Kotergherrr sheltered ^hs Kotergherry Station is also very favour- 

 andheaitfay. ^j^iy protected from the violence of the S. W. 



monsoon by the Dodabetta range itself, which stands out like a huge 

 •wall to screen it. The averaije fall of rain, the chief part of which 

 occurs on the Hills during this monsoon cannot be called excessive, 

 especially when compared with the visitations in this respect expe- 

 rienced in the neighbouring province of Malabar. 



The constant shifting of abode from spot to spot, which the duty of 

 conducting a survey necessarily entails, has prevented me from keep- 

 ing a register of the actual amount which has fallen in every month 

 of the year, except in 1847, but from such observations as have been 

 made when opportunity offered, I am led to believe that about 60 

 inches is a fair quantity to assign as the average fall of rain through- 

 out one year at Ootacamund, 50 inches at Kotergherry, and 55 inches 

 at Ooonoor. The N. E. monsoon sets in generally in the beginning 

 of October, and is often accompanied by rain more or less all over the 

 Hills, but especially on the east side and at Kotergherry, which, from 

 its position, is exposed directly to its force. The month of December 

 is generally very stormy, and often fatal to a large extent to the lives 

 of the Hill cattle, and to the bullocks and other beasts of burthen em- 

 ployed to bring produce from the plains. The cold easterly wind, 

 blowing through the light rain which is continually falling, and strik- 

 ing upon the wetted skins of the animals, produces a degree of in- 

 tense cold which soon destroys them, and by these means serious in- 

 roads are yearly made upon the herds of the Hill inhabitants, by 

 Avhom their loss is not readily replaced. Annexed to this memoir 

 are various Tables extracted from the Meteorological Register kept 

 in the Survey Office at Ootacamund and Kotergherry, which will 

 show all particulars regarding the changes of temperature, the fluc- 

 tuations and oscillations of the mercury in the barometer, as shown 

 at the hours of maximum and minimum pressure, (9A. 50m. a. m. 

 and 4 p. m.) temperature of wet bulb, direction of the wind, aspect 

 of the skv, kc. 



nurricanes very rare The Neilgherries are occasional!}', but by no 

 ° ^' means frequently, visited by violent storms or 

 hurricanes — so rarely indeed as to excite surprise and ppeculatioii 



