602 
ME. H. F. BLANFOED ON THE WINDS OF NOETHEEN INDIA. 
are heaviest in July ; but even at Rawul Pindee, in the immediate neighbourhood of 
the hills, they amount to only 17 ‘21 inches between June and September. At Lahore 
the total average fall is 7*71 inches, at Peshawur 4*48, and at Mooltan .3-61 only; but 
in the cool Himalayan valleys of the outer ranges the rains begin in June, and are far 
more abundant. In Plazarah from June to September the fall amounts to 22*08 inches, 
and in Kangra to not less than 87 ’08 inches according to Dr. Neil’s Deports. 
On the Himalaya the heaviest rainfall is unquestionably on the lower and outer slopes, 
and it diminishes from Bhotan to the westward, but in what ratio the present data are 
insufficient to show. Buxa (said to be situated at 1800 feet above the sea), on one of 
the outer spurs of the Bhotan Dooars, has an average annual fall (to judge from three 
years’ registers) second only to that of Cherra Poonji, viz. 280 inches; Bungbee, at 
4000 feet in outer Sikkim, somewhat less exposed, has 175 inches; and Dehra, in the 
Doon or low valley between the Sivaliks and the Himalaya, 72*29 inches. The stations 
at elevations of 7000 feet or 8000 feet receive less, and show a decrease towards the 
north-west like those at the lower levels. Thus Darjeeling has 127 inches, Nynee Tal 
86*58, and Simla 56*20 inches. 
Generally the quantity of rainfall diminishes, ceteris paribus, with the increase of 
distance from the coast-line, especially within the first few miles : compare, for example, 
Saugor Island and Calcutta, False Point and Cuttack. But it increases rapidly on 
approaching a hill-range on the windward side, whenever the latter presents a steep 
face in that direction. Instances of this are afforded by Rungpore and Dinagepore as 
compared with Maldah, by Mymensing and Sylhet as compared with Dacca, by Go- 
ruckpore as compared with Benares, by Roorkee as compared with Agra, and by Rawul 
Pindee compared with Lahore. To leeward of a range, on the other hand, the decrease 
at the foot and gradual increase beyond is very marked: instances are afforded by 
Nowgong, Tezpore, and Gowhatty on the north and north-east of the Khasi hills, and 
even by Shillong on their northern slope, at all of which the rainfall is much below 
that of Seebsaugor and Nazeerah, higher up the valley in the direction followed by the 
rain-bearing south-west wind ; and especially by Poonah and other stations under the 
lee of the Sahyadree range, as contrasted with Nagpore and others of the Central Pro- 
vinces. Of the influence of mere elevation, apart from exposure and slope of ground, 
no sufficient evidence is yielded by any registers available to me. 
Atmospheric Pressure . — Our knowledge of the distribution and changes of pressure 
is much less complete than that of temperature, or even of vapour-pressure and humi- 
dity. Although barometric registers are obtainable for the whole of the area here 
treated of, many of them cannot be utilized in this discussion owing to the elevation of 
the Observatories not being known with sufficient accuracy, or to the readings being 
uncorrected for the error of the instrument or even for temperature. The Punjab 
registers are defective in all these respects, and those of Ajmere and Dholebagan (a 
station in Upper Assam), which are otherwise good, cannot be used in the absence of 
