248 RESULTS OF THE METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS TAKEN DURING 



OBSEEYATIONS TAKEN AT SEA. 



The data under discussion are derived from the liourly observations made during the 

 two summer cruises of the "Scotia" in 1903 and 1904. The ice conditions in these 

 two seasons differed considerably. Thus in the summer of 1903 pack ice was met 

 with in 60° 20' B. long. 43° 50' W., which quite filled the Weddell Sea south of 60° S. 

 and to the west of 28° W., as fax as Graham's Land. In the following summer there 

 is reason to believe that the sea was clear, at least to the north of the Antarctic 

 Circle early in December, and except for a stream of ice in 66° S. and 30° W. no 

 obstacle was met with by the "Scotia" until near Coats' Land, in 72° 18' S. long. 

 17° 59' W. It is not at all unlikely that the western part of the Weddell Sea is, in 

 normal summers, covered with ice south of 65° S., as Ross, D'urville and Powell 

 were unable to penetrate the pack found to the south of the circle. Fi-om the observa- 

 tions made at the South Orkneys, the summers of 1902-03, 1904-05, and 1906-07 were 

 cold, the islands being practically ice-bound at the beginning of the year, while in the 

 summers of 1903-04 and 1905-06 the ice cleared away early in the season. It will 

 thus be seen that many years' observations will be necessar}' before isothermal lines 

 can be drawn with accuracy south of 60° S. ; although by combining the existing 

 data a tolerable approximation to the truth may be obtained, especially for the summer 

 months. 



The following- tables show the meteorological characteristics deduced for the area 

 under consideration from observations made during the two summer cruises of the 

 " Scotia." Mean values are given for short periods as well as for the mouths. 

 The approximate mean position of the ship for February 1903 and March 

 1903 and 1904 was 66° 06' S. long. 29° 28' W. For these three months the mean 

 barometric pressure corrected to 32° and sea level and to standard gravity at lat. 45° 

 was 29'071 inches, the highest being 29773 inches on 12th March 1904, and the lowest 

 28'194 inches on the 27th of the same month, showing a range of 1-679 inch. For 

 ten-day periods the highest was 29'262 inches during the ten days ending with 20th 

 March 1904, and the lowest 28'864 inches in the ten days immediately preceding, 

 the difference being 0'398 inch. 



Takino- the available means from stations in the Weddell Sea and at the base station 

 at the Falklands, and applying all the corrections, including that for standard gravity, 

 we obtain the following comparative means : — 



