On the Climate of the Canary Islands, 129 



St. Lazarus ; all these testify that, during a part oF the year at 

 least, Canary is subject to a degree of heat peculiarly intense. 



Mr. von Buch attributes this remarkable peculiarity in the 

 climate of Grand Canary to the cessation of the trade-wind in 

 September, when a period of calms intervenes before the south- 

 west wind is steadily established ; during these calms, the at- 

 mosphere near the island, being undisturbed by the local winds 

 which prevail at the same period at the other islands, becomes 

 greatly heated by the effects of solar radiation, to which the pe- 

 culiar form and geological character of the island conduce in a 

 more than ordinary degree. It is, we believe, the first phe- 

 nomenon of the kind that has been noticed, and is highly curious 

 as a meteorological fact, as well as in regard to the influence of 

 climate on vegetation. 



Temperature of S2)rings and Fountains in Teneriffe. — It 

 has been already observed, that the rains take place only in 

 the winter months, from November to March ; but during the 

 summer months there is a constant precipitation from nine or 

 ten in the morning to five in the evening, in the region of fo- 

 rests, at the elevation of from 2500 to 4100 feet. From 

 whichever of these sources we suppose the springs or foun- 

 tains, to be supplied, it is reasonable to expect that the tem- 

 perature of those that are found near the level of the sea should 

 be colder than the mean temperature of the year at that 

 level. Accordingly, it appears that the average temperature of 

 the following springs, ascertained by M. von Buch, is 14.25 R., 

 or 64.1 Fahr., Avhilst the mean temperature of the year, as 

 shown by Escolar's observations, is 17.3 R., or 71. Fahr. ; 

 or, on the average, the temperature of the springs near the 

 level of the sea is 7" Fahr. colder than the mean temperature 

 of the air during the year. 

 6th May. — An uncommonly fine and copious spring, 



gushing out from under a bed of lava, at Cape 



Martianez, under La Paz, near Oratava - - 14.2 R. 

 This temperature is permanent throughout the 



year. 

 8th May. — ^The spring *' del Rey," between Realexo 



and Puerto - - - . - - 14.3 



7th June. — .The same spring ----- 14.8 



JAN.— MARCH, 1828. K 



