WINTER TEMPERATURES 347 



McMurdo Sound we hear of continual violent winds. 

 Indeed, we know now that while we were living on the 

 Barrier in the most splendid weather calms or light 

 breezes Scott at his station some four hundred miles to 

 the west of us was troubled by frequent storms, which 

 greatly hindered his work. 



I had expected the temperature to remain high, as 

 throughout the winter we could very clearly see the 

 dark sky over the sea. Whenever the state of the air 

 was favourable, the dark, heavy water-sky was visible in 

 a marked degree, leaving no doubt that a large extent 

 of Ross Sea was open the whole year round. Never- 

 theless, the temperature went very low, and without 

 doubt the mean temperature shown by our observations 

 for the year is the lowest that has ever been recorded. 

 Our lowest temperature, on August 13, 1911, was 

 - 74'2 F. For five months of the year we were able 

 to record temperatures below - 58 F. The tempera- 

 ture rose with every wind, except the south-west; with 

 that it more usually went down. 



We observed the aurora australis many times, but 

 only a few of its appearances were specially powerful. 

 They were of all possible forms, though the form of 

 ribbon-like bands seemed to be commonest. Most of 

 the auroras were multicoloured red and green. 



My hypothesis of the solidity of the Barrier that is, 

 of its resting upon underlying land seems to be con- 

 firmed at all points by our observations during our 



