ay the hand upon at the
same time that it is freezing in the shade."

[Illustration: Fig. 17. Average Barometric and Wind Chart for January.]

[Illustration: Fig. 18. Average Barometric and Wind Chart for July.]

~The Indian Zones--Meteorological factors.~--The distribution of pressure
in India, determined mainly by changes of temperature, and itself
determining the direction of the winds and the character of the weather,
is shown graphically in figures 17 and 18. The winter or north-east
monsoon does not penetrate into the Panjab, where light westernly and
northernly winds prevail during the cold season. What rain is received
is due to land storms originating beyond the western frontier. The
branch of the summer or south-west monsoon which chiefly affects the
Panjab is that which blows up the Bay of Bengal. The rain-clouds
striking the Eastern Himalaya are deflected to the west and forced up
the Gangetic plain by south-westernly winds. The lower ranges of the
Panjab Himalaya receive in this way very heavy downpours. The rain
extends into the plains, but exhausts itself and dies away pretty
rapidly to the south and west. The Bombay branch of the monsoon mostly
spends itself on the Ghats and in the Deccan. But a part of it
penetrates from time to time to the south-east Panjab, and, if it is
sucked into the Bay current, the result is widespread rain.

~Himalayan Zone.~--The impressions which English people get of the climate
of the Himalaya, or in Indian phrase "the Hills," are derived mainly
from stations like Simla and Murree perched at a height of from 6500 to
7500 feet on the outer ranges. The data of meteorologists are mainly
taken from the same localities. Places between 8000 and 10,000 feet in
height and further from the plains enjoy a finer climate, being both
cooler and drier in summer. But they are less accessible, and weakly
persons would find the greater rarity of the air trying.

In the first fortnight of April the plains become disagreeably warm, and
it is well to take European children to the Hills. The Panjab Government
moves to Simla in the first fortnight of May. By that time Simla is
pretty warm in the middle of the day, but the nights are pleasant. The
mean temperature of the 24 hours in May and June is 65 deg. or 66 deg., the mean
maximum and minimum being 78 deg. and 59 deg.. Thunderstorms with or without
hail are not uncommon in April, May, and June. In a normal year the
monsoon clouds drift up