123 
would, before that time, have been too distant to render it 
likely the inhabitants should bring their food so far from 
where it was found. The very large size of many of the 
shells of patella, would seem to prove that the coast had 
been some considerable time in its present rocky condition, 
when the shells were gathered, whereas the absence of all 
traces of bones and teeth of the hog, which are found in 
such abundance in later deposits, seems to point to the 
seventh and eighth century as the probable date of the 
formation of this shell deposit. 
PHYSICAL AND MATHEMATICAL SECTION. 
January 4th, 1870.' 
E. W. Binney, F.R.S., F.G.S, President of the Section, 
in the Ohair. 
“ On the Rainfall of 1869, at Old Trafford, Manchester,” 
by G. Y. Vernon, F.R.A.S, F.M.S. 
The rainfall of 1869 exceeded the average of the last 
seventy-six years by 0'043 inches, so that the fall was 
almost exactly the average amount for that period. Rain 
fell upon 197 days in 1869, or upon nine more days than 
in 1868. 
During the first and last quarters of 1869 the rainfall 
exceeded the average of the corresponding periods for the 
last seventy-six years, and during the second and third 
quarters the rainfall of 1869 was below that average. 
As compared with 1868, there was 3'221 inches more rain 
in 1869. 
January, February, April, May, September, November, 
and December, 1869, had a rainfall in excess of the average, 
especially F ebruary and September, the latter month having 
nearly double the average rainfall. 
