Vegetation of Northern Cape Breton. 



273 



periods August 3-7, 20-23, the weather was uniformly clear. 

 For these latter periods the daily rate of evaporation at the shore 

 stations averaged 21.7 cc. The evaporation rate at the intervale 

 station, it will be noted, averaged slightly higher than that at the 

 shore station. 



h. CLIMATE OF THE INTERIOR PLATEAU COMPARED WITH THAT 



OF THE COAST 



Temperature. — Aside from a few figures obtained by the 

 writer, few accurate comparative data are available regarding 

 climatic conditions on the plateau, although various interesting 

 observations have been supplied by trappers. In August, 191 5, 

 two recording thermometers were set up in the open, one near 

 the shore at Ingonish, the other in the barrens about fifteen miles 

 west of Ingonish (elevation perhaps 1,200 feet). During the 

 writer's stay in the barrens daily readings were made from these 

 instruments, and subsequently readings were taken at intervals 

 of a few days by a competent guide, who made trips into the 

 barrens for this purpose. The readings were continued at each 

 station until a temperature of 32° or lower had been recorded. 

 The figures given in Table IV and covering part of this period 



TABLE IV 



Maximum and Minimum Temperatures (°F.) in the Interior and Along 

 THE Coast of Northern Cape Breton; August 18-23, 19^5 



are suggestive, if nothing more. It is of interest to note that 

 the daily maximum temperature in summer is frequently higher, 

 and the daily minimum invariably lower, while the average 

 daily range of temperature is perceptibly greater on the plateau 

 than along the coast. Observations recorded for nine days 

 show the average daily minimum to range from six to ten 

 degrees lower on the plateau than along the coast, and the 

 average daily maximum about one degree lower. For the bar- 

 rens station the first freezing temperature was recorded on 



