22 Introduction: Seasons and Winds. 



Volkenk. Ned. Oost-Ind. 1882, 4'" ed. vol. I pp. 178—181) describes four differ- 

 ent climates peculiar to different altitudes — climates having not only differences 

 of temperature, but also of winds and rains. As the existence of such have 

 great influence upon bird-life we translate his remarks: 



"The climatic conditions of Java are very varied, and especially dependent 

 upon the altitude, as well as upon the Monsoons. In respect of this the sur- 

 face of Java may be divided into four zones or belts: the First, or Hot Zone 

 extending from the sea-level up to 2000 feet; the Second or Temperate Zone 

 from 2000 to 4500 feet; the Third or Cool Zone from 4500 to 7500 feet; and 

 the Fourth or Cold Zone from 7500 to 10 000 feet and upwards. 



"In the First or Hot Zone the mean temperature is 29-7" C. (85-5" F., 

 23-8* R.) on the strand and 24-2" C. (75-5" F., 19-3" R.) on the upper boundary. 

 At Batavia the greatest heat is experienced in April, the least in January; the 

 nights and mornings are, however, coolest from June to August. In this Zone 

 the atmosphere is very damp. This dampness naturally increases as one des- 

 cends from a higher level to the strand, so that the atmosphere at Batavia 

 contains a mean amount of 84 per cent of vapour, in other words, a cubic 

 metre of air holds in suspension 20-25 grammes of water-vapour, whereas at 

 the sea-level the air would be completely saturated with 26-39 grammes of 

 vapour to the cubic metre. The damp is greatest in the months of January 

 and February, and least in August. Near the sea-shore the air is tilled with 

 pernicious vapours developed in great quantities by the heat from the morasses, 

 where many plant and animal remains are always rotting, . . . these exhalations, 

 however, do not appear to rise to a height of more than 900 ft. The Monsoons 

 operate very regularly. The rainy Monsoon prevails continuously from November 

 to March, the dry Monsoon from May to September or October; the shifting 

 of the winds takes place in April and October or November. The most rain 

 falls in December, January, February and March; and, although at this time 

 brighter and rainless days sometimes occur, the sky is usually heavily clouded 

 over, and the rain comes down in copious streams, sometimes for days in suc- 

 cession, causing great tioods. ... In the East Monsoon the dryness is most 

 marked in July and August, when — save for the daily alternating land- and 

 sea-breeze — hardly any wind is perceptible. The moisture in the atmosphere 

 is then deposited as heavy dew, to be taken up again with the warmth of the 

 sun in the morning, forming itself in the upper air into clouds which are 

 driven landwards by the sea-breeze (felt up to 2500 ft. above sea-level: and 

 become heaped up in the Second Zone. They sometimes disburden themselves 

 in thunderstorms in the afternoon, especially in mountainous districts, such as 

 Buitenzorg. where storms accompanied wdth heavy showers are of almost daily 

 occurrence. 



"In the Second or Temperate Zone the mean temperature is 23-6° C. {74-5'' F., 

 IS-g" R.) at the lower and 18-7" C. ((55-7" F., 15" 11.) at the upper boundary, 

 with a very marked difference between the warmth of the day and of the night, 



