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marked by a much greater rainfall than usual. The rainfall of March differed
very slightly from the average, except in Bihar and Orissa, where it was in
excess. April was characterized by much heavier rainfall than usual. Thus,
for example, Burisal, which has a mean fall of 2·79 inches, experienced
13·06 inches; Noakholly 5·25 instead of 3·88 inches. Orissa and the greater
part of Bengal had more than average rainfall. The rainfall in Bihar differed
very slightly from the average, and is always insignificant in amount at
this time. The rainfall for the month of May was very considerably in excess,
more especially in a narrow area extending from Patna to the western flank
of the Jaintia Hills. The cylone which visited Madras and its neighbourhood
on the 18th May advanced first of all along the coast and across Chota
Nagpore, and diminished gradually in intensity until the 28th, when it
again increased with the commencement of very heavy rainfall in Bengal
and Bihar, and then advanced eastwards, finally dying away near the
western flank of the Jaintia Hills. The rainfall in the Gya district averaged
9 inches for the month, and for the Patna district 6 inches. The normal
rainfall in Bihar for the month is 1·3 inches. The rainfall in Rajshahi
district and in Kuch Bihar was nearly double its usual amount. The rains
commenced in the beginning of June along the coast and over Bengal, but
advanced very slowly westwards up the Gangetic plain, extending to Bihar
in the first week of July. They were abnormally heavy in Burmah and the
adjacent British districts, including Eastern Bengal, and gave an average supply
to the greater part of Bengal and portions of Bihar. The rain-supply was
deficient in the districts of Kattak and Puri in Orissa, and in the districts of
Shahabad, Sarun, Champaran, and Monghyr in Bihar. The monsoon rain
current from its diversion to the east towards Burmah was very feeble during
the rains, and failed to advance as far west as the North-Western Provinces.
The rain-supply of that province was derived almost entirely from the current
from the Arabian Sea advancing across central India. The rainy season of
1877 in Bengal was marked by a succession of feeble cyclonic disturbances
which advanced from the mid Bay generally towards the east coast of the Bay.
These cyclonic disturbances after reaching the coast were usually deflected
to the west, they first gave heavy rain to the Arracan coast, and then a feebler
supply to Bengal, and occasionally advanced as far west as Bihar. The rain-
fall during the greater part of the rainy season occurred during the advance
of these cyclonic disturbances, and the weather in the intervals between
successive storms was usually fine, although cloudy and moist.
The rainfall during June was very irregularly distributed. It was above
the average in the Dhaka Division. Over the other divisions of Bengal it
was slightly below the average, whilst over the greater part of Bihar
it barely averaged one inch. The mean rainfall of Bihar is seven inches
in June. The rainfall in Orissa was also below the average. The
rainfall during the next month was abundant and fairly distributed.
It was excessive in the Dhaka and Chittagong Divisions, over the greater
portions of which it was nearly double its normal amount; in the other
divisions of Bengal the rainfall was slightly above the average. It was irreg-
ularly distributed in Bihar ; the districts of Shababad, Gya, and Mozufferpur
suffered from a deficient supply. The rainfall in Orissa was in this, as in the
remaining months, somewhat below the average. The general character of
the rainfall distribution of August was very similar to July. The Dhaka
and Chittagong Divisions continued to experience very heavy rainfall. Thus,
at Chittagong, where the mean rainfall for the month is 21·89 inches, 41·35
inches were registered. The rainfall was over the average in the remaining
divisions of Bengal, except in Rajshahi, and Kuch Bihar, where it
was found much below the normal amount. It was deficient over the
whole of Bihar, which received a mean fall of five inches instead of ten,
the normal amount. The rains were very irregularly distributed during
the month of September. The rainfall in Dhaka and Chittagong Divisions
was slightly above the average. Rajshahi experienced a very heavy rainfall,
which compensated for the deficient supply, more especially in the Shahabad,
Sarun,, and Champaran districts. The rainfall during October was above
the average in Bihar. This was due to heavy rainfall which accompanied
9, cyclonic disturbance that began in the Bombay Coast and advanced east-