Occasional Paper's of the Museum of Zoology 5 



Table I. Winds at Fort Amsterdam, Willemstad, Curagao 

 from August, 1910, to December, 1921, inclusive^ 



Wind Velocity 

 Wind Direction in Percentages Beaufort Scale (0-12) 



8:00 2:00 6:00 

 X. N.E. E. S.E. S. S.W. W. KW. A.M. P.M. P.M. 



January 0.2 14.8 84.0 0.7 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.0 2 2 2 



February 0.6 13.0 84.2 1.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 2 3 3 



March 0.0 13.9 84.2 1.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3 3 3 



April 0.7 9.8 86.9 1.3 0.2 1.2 0.0 0.0 3 3 3 



May 0.0 8.8 88.0 3.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3 3 3 



June 0.0 6.7 92.6 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3 4 3 



July 0.0 7.7 91.2 1.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 3 3 3 



August 0.2 7.4 88.2 3.4 0.1 0.5 0.1 0.0 3 3 3 



September 0.1 6.2 87.8 5.0 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.0 3 3 3 



October _ 0.1 8.5 79.3 7.5 2.6 1.1 0.8 0.1 2 2 2 



November 0.3 13.4 78.0 6.0 1.0 1.2 0.2 0.0 2 2 2 



December 0.0 13.3 83.7 2.6 0.2 0.0 0.1 0.0 3 3 3 



Mean Annual 0.2 10.3 85.7 2.9 0.4 0.4 0.1 0.0 3 3 3 



of Curacao the surface current is generally to the westward, 

 but an easterly sub-current exists and this is of such volume 

 that it is liable entirely to overcome the surface set."* 



The temperatures (Table II) are remarkably uniform, with 

 a total extreme fluctuation of 23 degrees Fahrenheit, during 

 the period measured. The mean annual temperature (81° F.) 

 places the islands in Calvert's zone 11.^ It is also noteworthy 

 that the mean daily variation (8° F.), although small, is twice 

 as great as the fluctuation in the mean monthly temperature 

 (4°F.). 



The rainfall (Table III) is as variable as the temperature is 

 uniform. The mean annual rainfall of the four localities 

 measured (17 to 22 inches) immediately establishes the islands 

 as tropical semi-deserts. It will be noted that a distinct rainy 

 season occurs in the months October to January, although the 



3 Observations missing between Nov. 2nd and 7th, 1918. The table of 

 wind directions is reduced from one containing intermediate points; most 

 of the N.E. and S.E. winds listed were actually observed as E.N.E. and 

 E.S.E. winds, respectively. 



4 United States Hydrographic Office chart, number 1290. 



5 1908 ; Froc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Fhiladclphia; Plate xxvi. 



