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mud at any depth might be taken as a certain proof that the agita - 
tion, originating at the surface, had ceased to be appreciable. If 
the geological formation did not produce a clayey deposit, or if strong 
submarine currents existed, the absence of mud might afford no proof 
of the magnitude of the waves ; but its presence in shoal water may 
be relied on as indicating with certainty that in whatever locality it 
is found there must be small disturbance at the surface, or, in other 
words, that there cannot be a heavy sea. Applying such a test 
to the present ease — muddy deposits are found in from 80 to 90 
fathoms off Whalsey, from which point southwards they are found 
in gradually lessening depths, till they rise to within 8 fathoms of 
the surface at the mouth of the Elbe. Similarly, at the Firth of 
Forth, the mud rises on the north side from 18 fathoms off Elie 
Ness to 7 at Burntisland; and on the south side, from 17 fathoms, 
near North Berwick, to 2 fathoms off Leith ; while above Queens- 
ferry, even although the current is stronger in the higher portions 
of the estuary, the mud, owing to the comparative absence of waves, 
actually emerges above low water. It is well known, that on the 
banks of Newfoundland, and all round the British islands, where the 
bottom suddenly rises near the 100 fathoms line, the waves actually 
break. It seems reasonable, therefore, to infer, that the gradually 
decreasing depth of the German Ocean must as effectually, though 
not so suddenly, diminish the size of the undulations. 
3. Notice of an Unusual Fall of Rain in the Lake District, 
in January 1859. By John Davy, M.D., F.R.SS. Lond. and 
Edin. 
Whilst the average fall of rain during the preceding six years in 
January has been at Ambleside 4*22 inches; in this month, in the 
current year, the rain measured has amounted to 14’82 inches. 
The quantity of rain that has fallen in other localities of the district 
during the same month is stated in a table, in which also is included 
the rain-fall in some other parts of the United Kingdom. In the 
former, it has ranged from 14-375 to 6*514 inches, diminishing 
with distance from the central mountains ; in the latter, the range 
has been from 6 '48 inches to 0*36 inch, diminishing, it would seem, 
with distance from the western coasts. 
