Year: 1868

TIE METEOROLoGY OF THE PAST YEAR-AN IN


CURRY INTO THE MOTIVES OF JUPITER PLU-


VIUS-sOME THEORIES AS TO THE CAUSES


OF HIS LATE EXCESSIVE COMPLIMENTs-ICE-


BERGS, METEORIC SHOWERS, VOLCANIC IN


FLUENCES, AND THE GULF-STREAM.


The NEUROLOGICAL conception of the pluvial
Jupiter was usually that of rather dewy old deity
whose venerable long beard and hair composed OF
fnehowing skens OF water while little streams Of water
also flowed from the ends of his fingers which were con-
stanty held drOOpngly and in the OF bestowing
moist and watery benson thirsty and grateful
earth. He sometimes represented as lying at his
ease cooling his fanks in some placdly FLOWING river,
with two either side, supposed. perhaps to
contain water for the refreshment OF his inner naure
but mostly appeared urbanely throned upon thunder.
cloud, with any amount OF water at his feet which
slight pressure on his part would serve 10 strain through
the under lining in copous showers


Our own experience with the aqueous old gentleman
during the past few months Is such that we rather lean
toward the thundercloud ldea and If about to picture
him in own way. would, in addition to the conven'
tOnal appliances, provide him with fatbOmess water
tank at one SIDE mighty cuender at his pro
dgous dpperi his right hand wherewith he might keep
hope. irreverent community, TO his hearts content
volume Of water two laid open In his lap, might I'M
part scholastic air, and an added sOlemny might be
obtained by ensbrOudng his person in sheet OF water
but should certainly insist on the tank cuender
But after all is not certain that We do not, in some
respects unusty mpeach the motVes OF Ds rainy hgh-
latitude very seldom varies in the course OF year.
and the annual statistics including the recent Spring



Of than couple Of inches over the average
depth The number Of rainy days during last Spring and
the early days Of the present month unusually great
and the quantity Of water IN excess OF the but
this will probably be taken from the fall of
another season, so as TO equalize the mean annual
St the unusual number Of rainy days. in so brief a
PERIOD taken In connection with the 40 storms Of the
preceding Winter months, form interesting subject Of
speculation for the meteorOORst, and our numerous
weather clerks for the moment neglect their duInal
study Of the weatheTcocks In providing theories and
causes OF the subject in hand The theory Of rain may
On fhp yrha 10 and
denly chilled It's capacity Of holding moisture the
OF Invisible vapOr is diminished, and the excess OF
tOps TSe distribution rain oTeT the
conditions Of the surface The chief source of supply
being the great oceans the wind sweeping over these
and becoming charged with moisture the precipitation
beyond the capacity Of the its existing
20 retaip ana thus It along the Equatorial belt that the
rainy regions OF the globe are mostly found


The quantity Of rain that falls upon particular local
ties also materially affected by local features OF topo
graphy and temperatars This Is clearly shown by the
hemisphere tins 10 estimated n inches OF water and
in the Western hemisphere at us inches And he varia
ton at diere1t ocahues M an sne world over is
mountains whose icy SUBMITS hasten the precipitation 81
floating vapors their chilly contact by the proximity
warm current OF the ocean, whose
assists the prOpagaton Of waterfreighted clnds or
other natural And this brings 10 one Of
theories respecting the recent continuous rains our
latitude, VIZ: the unusual nearness Of the Culf


The 9tf Stream. too, ready influence yislds,


when Ocean IhiHs iis SondrO belt 10 haste,


hanGs hIssdh higher on his swelling waist


ana wahsd .S ,sorssare ton with tenpdsr ioaoJ


M & ,si ~ sss1.sss The F.slDg So:'d


Along the entire Of the Atlantic Gulf Stream
Florida 10 the Irsh coast, the water possesses
sDDsraturs above thai due " me lastsds, and ths