centre of the term included in each mean. The nine-year series at once shows that the station has been much drier during the last twenty years, although individual years have at times ranged well above the average. To those using rainfall returns for practical purposes a knowledge of such possible fluctuations is invaluable. The most essential feature is, however, the ratio to a long average borne by any possible dry year, or two or three successive dry years. The Ashburton average is 51.77 inches; the driest year, omitting 1866 and 1867, was 1889, with a fall of 36.61 inches, or 70.72% of the average. The driest two successive years were 1892 and 1893, with a mean of 40.27 inches, or 77.79% of the average. The driest three successive years were 1887, 1888, and 1889, with a mean of 42.77 inches, or 82.61% of the average. Now for Parliamentary purposes in connexion with water supplies it has long been assumed that the driest year will yield two-thirds of the average, the driest two years threefourths of the average, and the driest three years four-fifths of the average. The comparison between this assumption and the actual results obtained at Ashburton is thus: So far, then, as this station is concerned, the assumption is on the safe side in indicating less than the actual fall. But the error unfortunately reduces the amount of compensation water likely to be given by any waterworks involving impounding reservoirs. The average rainfall for each month is given in Table II, and Plate III shows the monthly rainfall stated as percentages of the year's total. Amid all the wide individual irregularities the averages yield interesting results. From December to May the rainfall decreases steadily; June is drier than May, but only slightly so. The rise from June to October is not so uniform; November is, on the whole, drier than October; and December is the wettest month of the year. RAINFALL ON THE VENFORD CATCHMENT. The rainfall at Holne Moor, on the catchment area of the Paignton Waterworks, was the subject of discussion when the Paignton Water Act was before Parliament. For the promoters it was asserted that the average would not be found to exceed 60 inches per annum. On behalf of those interested in the River Dart, the Secretary of your Committee gave evidence that he estimated it at 78.72 inches. Gaugings have been taken, but never published. Last year, however, at Teignmouth evidence was given that for the past five years the actual rainfall at Venford had averaged "about 80 inches." As the mean for these years at Ashburton was practically equal to the forty years' average, it may now be assumed that the true average fall at Venford is in fact 80 inches per annum, a point of considerable interest to students of Dartmoor meteorology. Application has been made for detailed returns, but up to the present these have not been received. TABLE I. FORTY YEARS' RAINFALL AT DRUID, ASHBURTON, 584 feet, O.D. P. F. S. AMERY, ESQ., J.P., Observer. TABLE II. MEAN MONTHLY RAINFALL TAKEN AT DRUID, AshbuRTON, O.D. 584 feet, during the Forty Years ending 31st December, 1905. - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |-- TWENTY-THIRD REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON DEVONSHIRE FOLK-LORE. TWENTY-THIRD REPORT of the Committee-consisting of Mr. P. F. S. Amery (Secretary), Mr. R. Pearse Chope, Rev. S. Baring-Gould, Mr. G. M. Doe, Rev. W. Harpley, Mr. J. S. Neck, Mrs. Radford, Mr. J. Brooking-Rowe, Mrs. Troup, and Mr. H. B. S. Woodhouse. Edited by P. F. S. AMERY, Honorary Secretary. (Read at Lynton, July, 1906.) THE following bits of folk-lore have been contributed since the last year's Report. They are on various subjects, but mostly in relation to charms of healing and customs. The names of contributors are attached for the sake of verification and authority. The Secretary begs, on behalf of the Committee, to thank all who have assisted in gathering these "waifs and strays from the relics of the past. W. HARPLEY, Chairman. 1. SACRIFICE OF A SHEEP.—In or about 1883 a man whose name was J— S- -, in Meavy parish, a farmer who had come from North Devon, performed a curious rite that shall be described in the words of the Rev. W. A. G. Gray, then Vicar of Meavy. He told me of it at the time, and at my request he has written me the particulars: "Soon after his arrival in the parish, as I believe not infrequently happens with an entire change of pasture, he lost a good many cattle and sheep, and he told me that he accordingly took a sheep up to the top of Calisham Tor and killed it there to propitiate the evil influences which were destroying his flocks and herds. And the offering had the desired effect-he had lost no more cattle.” Compare with this a communication made to Jacob |