METEOROLOGY 381 



Precipitation. 



Any attempt to measure the quantity of precipitation — even 

 approximately — had to be abandoned. Snowfall never occurred in 

 still weather, and in a wind there was always a drift that entirely 

 filled the gauge. On June 1 and 7 actual snowfall was observed, 

 but it was so insignificant that it could not be measured ; it was, 

 however, composed of genuine flakes of snow. It sometimes 

 happened that precipitation of very small particles of ice was 

 noticed; these grains of ice can be seen against the observation 

 lantern, and heard on the observer's headgear; but on returning to 

 the house, nothing can be discovered on the clothing. Where the 

 sign for snow occurs in the column for Remarks, it means drift; 

 these days are included among days of precipitation. Sleet was 

 observed only once, in December. Rain never. 



Cloudiness. 



The figures indicate how many tenths of the visible heavens are 

 covered by clouds (or mist). No instrument is used in these 

 observations; they depend on personal estimate. They had to be 

 abandoned during the period of darkness, when it is diflScult to see 

 the sky. 



Wind. 



For measuring the velocity of the wind the expedition had a cup 

 and cross anemometer, which worked excellently the whole time. 

 It consists of a horizontal cross with a hollow hemisphere on each 

 of the four arms of the cross; the openings of the hemispheres are 

 all turned towards the same side of the cross-arms, and the cross 

 can revolve with a minimum of friction on a vertical axis at the 

 point of junction. The axis is connected with a recording mechan- 

 ism, which is set in motion at each observation and stopped after a 

 lapse of half a minute, when the figure is read ofiF. This figure 

 denotes the velocity of the wind in metres per second, and is 



