804 
ON THE DECREASE OF RAIN 
repeated by other observers, for in that year we find, in a 
publication called the Annals of Philosophy^ a reference to this 
phenomenon as a well-known paradox,” and it is remarkable 
that the writer (Mr. H. M eikle), in his endeavour to explain the 
paradox, comes very near the solution which is now generally 
accepted, and a modification of which I shall presently offer. 
Observations by Mr. H . Boase at Penzance, by Luke Howard 
near London, and by Arago at the Paris Observatory gave 
results all tending to confirm the fact of a decrease of rain with 
elevation of the gauge above the ground; and in the year 1831 
a wider interest was given to the question by the adoption at the 
first meeting of the British Association of a resolution requesting 
Messrs. Phillips and Gray to undertake a series of experiments 
on the comparative quantities of rain falling on the top of the 
great tower of York Minster, and on the ground near its base,” 
For the purpose of this inquiry three rain-gauges were fixed, 
one in the Museum garden, one on the roof of the Museum, and a 
third supported on a pole nine feet above the battlements of the 
Minster tower. The observations were continued for three 
years, and the following were the average annual results 
Feet aTjove 
ground. 
Inches of rain ■ 
per annum. 
Ratio. 
Museum garden. 
0 .... 
...... 21*81 .... 
.. 100 
Museum roof ..... 
17*39 .... 
.. 80 
Minster tower ., 
213 .... 
12-99 ..., 
During the last twenty years the literature of the subject has 
become voluminous, and the difficulty now is not to find observa- 
tions, but to select them. One of the most indefatigable 
observers has been Mr. Chrimes of Rotherham, and I have 
copied from British Bainfall for 1868 his results for eleven 
months of that year. They are as follows 
I Vol. XIV., p. 312. 
.2 British Association Eeports, 1883 — 1885. 
