Chap. VIII. PARRY'S THIRD VOYAGE. 279 



appear that within the Arctic circle the northerly 

 and westerly winds mostly prevail. The same thing 

 obtains with regard to temperature, whether on the 

 coasts of continents or islands, or even in the broad 

 streets of towns, lying in a north and south direc- 

 tion. Thus on the western coast of America, up 

 as far as Cook's river, between the latitude of 55° and 

 60°, the little certhias and the humming birds are 

 said to be chirping and singing, when from New- 

 foundland in 50°, down to Philadelphia in 40°, frost 

 and snow cover the water and the ground. At 

 home the difference of temperature between the 

 western coast or islands of Scotland and the eastern 

 coast is so great that the late Lady Bute found the 

 Isle of Bute more congenial with her constitution 

 than even England. The coast of Devonshire is of 

 a much milder temperature than the coast of Nor- 

 folk. On the same principle the east side of 

 Regent Street (facing the west) will always be 

 found more dry and free from moisture than the 

 opposite side, facing the east ; and so will the east 

 side of Regent's Park be more dry, and the houses 

 more free from moisture, than on the western side. 



From what cause does this proceed? May it 

 not be explained by the fact, that at or a little 

 before sunrise, the temperature of the atmosphere is 

 much lower than at or a little after sunset, and that 

 from the former period to the meridian, the influ- 



