PHYSIOGRAPHY OF THE AUSTRALIAN ALPS. 371 



and nose, similar to that felt wlien ozone is largely present in the 

 atmosphere. How far these peculiar abnormal air-movements are 

 due to electrical agencies, or to the actual presence of isolated 

 masses of warm dry air, which have come to us from the heated 

 interior of Australia, I am unable to suggest ; I simply note 

 tlie fact as one which requires some explanation. 



The mean barometric pressure during winter is greatest, and 

 during summer least. 



The rule for decrease of pressure with altitude, would seem to 

 be subject to slight variations caused by lateral pressures, aerial 

 currents sweeping up the narrow valleys, and by thermal influ- 

 ences of a local character, so that the difference of surface conti- 

 guration and surroundings of two stations on the same parallels 

 of latitude, and at the same altitude, may difter slightly in their 

 barometric pressures. 



Tlie mean winter temperature at Mount St. Bernard, 5,060 feet, 

 would appear to be 33.91 Fahr., or about two degress above 

 freezing point. The lowest temperature recorded from ten a.m. 

 observations is 29°, the maximum 70° in the shade, and 90° in the 

 sun. July and August are the coldest months, February and 

 March the warmest. The seasons of maximum cold for the past 

 thirteen years appear to have been 1876, 1S81, and 1882 ; and 

 the season of greatest heat, 1882. The fall of snow sometimes 

 commences as early as April — although May is the usual month — 

 and begins to disappear during September, sometimes October. 

 April is frequently a rainy month, and during Januaiy and 

 February thunderstorms are prevalent, invariably from the west- 

 ward. As a rule the prevailing winds are from south-west to 

 north-west during summer; south-west to south-east during 

 autumn; north west during winter ; west to north-west during 

 spring. 



The wind blows with great force at these elevations, and the 

 changes are very rapid. Mr. Bonsted informs me that he has had 

 thick fogs with rain all day at Mount St. Bernard, while three 

 miles lower down, or at an elevation of 4,000 feet, tlie sun has 

 been shining in a clear sky. He also remarks that it is an unusual 

 thing to have a Clu'istmas without snow. 



BOTANY. 



The Flora of the Australian Alps includes many heterogeneous 

 elements, and thus it presents some interesting botanical features, 

 among which may be mentioned the Antarctic character of the 

 endemic al|)ine species, and their affinity with the Tasmanian 

 flora as pointed out first by Baron von Mueller. This identity 

 of species may be fairly said to unite those now isolated alpine 

 areas to some extent, into one botanical region, or ^\■ould, at least 

 in some respects, suggest a comnnniity of origin ; and, although. 



