222 
LOCK : THE GROWTH OF 
III .—CLIMATIC CONDITIONS DURING THE 
PERIOD OF OBSERVATION. 
During the whole of this period the temperature remained 
remarkably constant. The extreme range at Peradeniya 
during the months of June, July, and August was only from 
19°C to 30°C. From June to November the extreme limits 
touched were 17°C and 30°C (62*6°F—86°F). On dull rainy 
days such as made up quite half of the first three months 
the range of temperature was usually not beyond 21°C to 
25°C (70°F to 77°F). 
On the other hand sunshine, rainfall, and moisture of 
the air varied considerably, On four or five occasions rain 
fell steadily during the greater part of the day, and the 
number of days on which the sun shone continuously was not 
much greater. Intermediate weather of every kind was 
experienced, and in the tables of daily measurements 
an attempt has been made to sum up briefly the character 
of each particular day. A strong wind was rare and was 
usually accompanied by heavy rain. 
Sufficient psychrometric observations were not at first 
taken. The following general statements however hold good. 
During the period of observation the air at night was never 
far from the point of saturation. In the morning there was 
usually a rapid fall in the psychrometric co-efficient, and in 
the evening a corresponding rise.* A rapid rise also regu¬ 
larly took place as the sky became overcast previous to a 
shower. Generally speaking, the moisture of the air varied 
inversely as sunshine and temperature. The air in the shade 
was never extremely dry, the percentage of moisture being 
very rarely lower than 60. The mean driest may have been 
about 70 per cent. 
The following table shows the rainfall to have been some¬ 
what abnormal, as far as can be judged from the average 
returns. The records here given are only approximate, since 
* Op. also Schimper, Pflanzen géographie, p. 230. 
