366 Dr James Macaiilay on the Physical Geography^ 



quantity of rain falls annually at Madeira as at Rome and 

 Florence, but at Madeira there are only 73 days on which any 

 rain falls, while at Naples there are 07, at Home 117, and at 

 London 178. The rain at Madeira falls at particular seasons, 

 chiefly in the autumn, leaving the atmosphere, in general, dry 

 and clear during the remainder of the year. From this com- 

 parative view of the climate, it must be readily perceived, how 

 great are the advantages which this island presents over the 

 best climates on the continent of Europe. It is warmer during 

 the winter, and cooler during the summer ; it has less differ- 

 ence between the temperature of day and night, between one 

 season and another, and between successive days ; it is almost 

 exempt from keen, cold winds, and enjoys a general steadiness 

 of weather, to which the best of these are strangers ; the rains 

 are circumscribed, and generally fall at regular and stated 

 periods.'*' 



I have examined several meteorological registers kept with 

 great accuracy and regularity, and have not observed the tem- 

 perature in Funchal to have been, above three or four times 

 in many years, below 50° Fahr. The lowest that wo had last 

 winter was 49°, on the morning of the 29th March, when there 

 was snow on the mountains to within about 2800 feet above 

 the sea. The station was, however, at a little distance from 

 the city. The greatest monthly range during last winter was 

 also in March, the maximum being on the 25th of March 70°. 

 During the summer, the thermometer is as rarely above 80°, 

 except during a continued Teste, when it has been observed 

 several degrees higher in the shade. 



I have not seen any good series of hygrometrical observa- 

 tions regarding the climate of Funchal. Judging empirically, 

 from such effects as the rapid rusting of certain instruments, 

 and the great difficulty of drying and preserving my botanical 

 specimens, as compared with experience in other places, I 

 should say, that, in general, the atmosphere is charged with 

 an unusual amount of moisture. It never, indeed, appears in 

 mist or fogs, or any other form of sensible humidity, because 

 the temperature of the air by which it is suspended is so ad- 

 mirably regulated. The large amount of moisture, combined 

 thus with a temperature capable of always retaining it in a 



