Cold Winds iL'hlch ijfue out of the Earth. 23' 



fmall cavern whence it ifliied, he found it at 5I degrees, while the external air was at 

 I4f degrees. This was on the 4th of July 1773, in the afternoon ; whence, in fafl, it 

 appears that the day was very cold for that climate and feafon. 



The Cantines, as they are called in Italian Switzerland, or the cold caves of Chiavenna, 

 are likewife fituated againft a rock to the fouth-eaft of the town. The cold air enters into 

 the caves through the crevices of this rock, of which the compofidoa is an indurated 

 fteatites, intermixed in various places with afteftos and flexible amianthus. On the 5th of' 

 Auguft 1777, at noon, the thermometer flood in thefe caves at 6 degrees, while in the 

 - open air it was at 17. 



On this occafion our author remarks, that the (tones which compofe the mountains 

 whence the cold winds ilTue, are very different in their nature ; which, as he obferves, 

 affords an anfwer to the queftion of the Abbe Nollet, relative to the caves of Mont 

 Teftaceo, " Is pottery of a nature to be more difficultly heated than other materials; or 

 do the influences of the atmofphere caufe refrigeration, which would not take place elfe-- 

 where ?" It is certain, adds M. De Sauffure, that this phenomenon does not depend on the 

 nature of the pottery ; for the cold winds of Cefi iffue from a calcareous mountain, thofe 

 of St. Marino from grit-ftone, thofe of Chiavenna from a fleatites, &c. 



The caves in which M. De Sauffure found the air coldeft, and which he moft carefully 

 obferved, were thofe of Caprino, near the lake of Lugan, and oppofite that agreeable fmalL 

 town of Italian Switzerland. Thefe caves are fituated at the foot of a calcareous mountain, 

 whofe very rapid Cope terminates near the lake. 



Before your entrance, you are defired to remark the cold wind which iffues from the key- 

 hole of the door, which is fenfible even at feven or eight inches diftance. On your entrance,, 

 the fenfation of cold is very ftrlking, fo as even to produce an apprehenfion of inconvenience; 

 and on coming out, you feem to enter an oven. In the firfl vifit to thefe caves (June 

 29, I77i)» 'lis author found the thermometer at the bottom of the cave to be 2^ de- 

 grees; while in the (hade in the open air it was at 21. The fecond time that he vifited 

 them, namely, on the ift of Auguft 1777, the thermometer defcended no lower than 4! 

 degrees; while in the air it (lood at 18. 



Wha< he thinks remarkable in thefe caves is, that they are not deep, nor hollowed into the 

 earth. 2^r floor is on a level with the ground; the external wall and the roof are entirely 

 expofcd'to the open air. There is only the wall at the bottom, and part of the lateral 

 walls, whioh are within the foot of the mountain. This foot is every where covered with 

 angular fragments of the fame mountain, and it is from among thefe fragments that the 

 cool air iffues. By a fortunate chance, he faw one of thefe caves conftruifled. The mafon 

 ■who overlooked the work, a(Ermcd that he was in poffeffion of the art of finding proper 

 fituations ; aijd that it was neceffary to feek for thofe places whence the wind iffued out, 

 and to bore apertures correfponding to thofe places. It is by thefe vcntiges that the caves 

 are cooled, as may be eafily perceived by applying the hand ; and againft thefe it is that 

 the thermometer muft be placed to fmd the lowcft temperature. 



It is affcrtcd that the country is indebted,to the (hccp for this difcovcry. A (hcphcrd 

 obferved, that during the great heats his flicep all repaired to certain places in preference, 

 and applied their nofcs to the earth. He endeavoured to afcertain the reafon of this 



preference, 



