113 
PHYSICAL AND MATHEMATICAL SECTION. 
March 3rd, 1874. 
Alfred Brothers, F.K.A.S., President of the Section, 
in the Chair. 
Results of Rain-Gauge Observations made at Eccles, 
near Manchester, during the year 1873,” by Thomas 
Mackereth, F.R.A.S., F.M.S. 
The rainfall of 1873 was much below the average fall, 
and very different in result from that of the previous year. 
Whilst the rainfall of 1872 was about 36 ‘7 per cent above 
the average fall, the fall of the past year was about 12 per 
cent below the average. It is remarkable how little this 
deficiency of rainfall was noticed by persons who had no 
means of ascertaining the fact. Frequently I was asked 
during the year if the rainfall was not gi’eater on the whole 
year than usual. This doubtless arose from the fact that 
the summer months, the only enjoyable season of the year, 
had a considerable excess of rainfall. The excessive fall in 
August had a bad effect upon the potato crop in the neigh- 
bourhood of Eccles. The least amount of rain fell in the 
spring and autumn months, though the greatest deficiency 
was in December. The number of days on which rain fell 
during the year was in excess of the average ; but this ex- 
cess was between April and September; the number of days 
of rainfall in the remaining months was below the average. 
