This paper examines the extent to which a tree canopy changes the kinetic energy of rain falling through it and thereby changes the potential for the initiation of soil erosion by splash below the canopy. The kinetic energy of rain or throughfall depends on the depth of water, drop-size distribution and the canopy height. Comparisons have been made for individual storms in tropical rain forest between rain falling in an open space, rain falling through a single-layered high canopy and a multi- layered low canopy. At frequent intervals through each storm, measure- ments were made of the drop-size distribution using the paper staining technique. Depth was measured at in all three sites by rain gauges and a grid of splash cups surrounded by a uniform area of sand measured the splash. The depth of water reaching the ground as throughfall was 71% of rainfall under the single canopy, but 28% under the multiple canopy. For storms equal to or greater than 2.83 mm the single canopy increased the total kinetic energy of the storm up to 1.84 times that of the rainfall. The energy change by the multiple canopy varied between 0.03 and 0.66 times that of the rainfall. The canopies changed the kinetic energy/mm/M2 of the rainfall by altering both the drop-size distribution and velocity, from 18.19 J/mm/m2 for rainfall to 31.83 J/mm/m2 and 22.09 J/mm/m2 under the single and multiple canopies respectively. Under the multiple canopy splash was reduced to a minimum of 0.4 times splash in the open but under