168 Baron L. Von Buch on the Temperature of Springs. 



rature ; because no water flows in the winter time, and a tem- 

 perature below the freezing point cannot be conveyed by this 

 quickly circulating medium. I am therefore convinced, says 

 Von Buch, that all statements which maintain that the soil, at the 

 depth of many feet, is found frozen, even during the summer, in 

 places which are able to support shrubs, are to be viewed as un- 

 satisfactory. 



In those situations where the cold is not sufficient to hinder 

 the circulation of water, the temperature of perennial springs is 

 almost identical with that of the atmosphere. Thus, in the vi- 

 cinity of Edinburgh, the temperature of the perennial springs 

 agrees with the mean temperature of the atmosphere. The 

 same is the case in the whole of Atlantic Europe, and also to 

 a great extent in Southern Europe. 



But Humboldt was the first who discovered that this arrange- 

 ment does not hold in the warmer countries, where the tempera- 

 ture of the springs is almost always some degrees below that of 

 the superincumbent atmosphere. This phenomenon commences 

 in the south of Europe ; for Von Buch found a spring at St 

 Cesareo, near to Palestrina, at Rome, on the 20th August, at 

 9i° R- ; the temperature of the atmosphere 22° R. ; and the 

 mean temperature 12.6° R. He also obtained the following re- 

 sults from springs in the Canary Islands : — 



Teneriffe. 



1. Spring near Puerto Orotava, - - - - 14" 2' R. 

 Mean temperature of atmosphere, - - - - 17 ' 3 



2. Spring of EI Rej, near to Orotava, on 8th May, - - 14 3 



3. Same spring, 7th June, and ^th September, - - 14 8 



4. 1st June, fine spring near to Rialejo, - - - 13 3 



5. Same spring, on 8th September, - - - - 11 1 



Palma. 

 Water of a deep well on 8th September, - - . 15 77 



Lancerote. 

 Temperature of a well, - - - - -1411 



The mean temperature of the soil from the above, will be, - 14 4 



From these observations it appears, that the temperature of the springs in 

 these islands is three degrees lower than the mean temperature of the air. 



However remarkable this cooling or low temperature may ap- 

 pear, when examined, during summer, we can easily satisfy 



