THE RUSSIAN FUR-SEAL ISLANDS. 



Monilihj means of Mclcorolmjie Ohserrations at Bering Island — Continued. 

 PKEV AILING WINDS. 



17 



MAXIMUM HOURLY VELOCITY (IN MILES). 

 [Taken from current velocities.] 



A considerable amount of snow falls during the winter. The fierce winter gales 

 usually blow it oft' the plateaus, forming immen.se drifts in the valleys and on the lee 

 side of the mountains. In deep shadowy gullies it often remains all summer, and in 

 cold seasons, as for instance 189."), large drifts still remain unmelted as late as 

 September, even at the level of the sea. 



Drift ice seems to be of rare occurrence in recent times. I do not know how much 

 reliance can be placed in old Pitr Burdukovski's story to me that formerly, say 

 about IS.jO, " drift ice was yearly observed coming from the north in large masses." 

 Certain it is that Steller expressly states that during the winter no ice collected in the 

 sea (Ber. Ins., p. 270). 



To complete the meteorologic account I may mention that thunflersforms are of 

 rare occurrence on the Commander Islands. In 187!), on November 19, Mr. Krebs, 

 after a residence of eight years in the main village on Copper Lsland, experienced the 

 first thunderstorm. In 1881, on February 8, he records " a stroke of lightning and a 

 short, but strong thunderclap about 7 p. m." Mr. Chernick, in Nikolski, Bering Island, 

 reports "thunder and lightning" on September 12, 1878. I my.self observed a thun- 

 derstorm passing over Nikolski, September 18, 1882. The first lightning was observed 

 at 9" 58'" p. m., local time; wind, SW., 1.3 miles an hour; barometer, 29..552 inches; 

 temperature of air, 52.2° F.; clouds, cumulo-stratus, 8, direction SW.; intervals 

 between first lightning and thunder, 96 seconds; sixth thunderclap (10'' 2.")'" p. m.), 

 12 seconds after lightning; tenth, 40 seconds; eleventh lightning before thunder of 

 tenth. This was the last distinct thunder heard, 10'" 3.->"' p. m. After that continued 

 distant lightning lit up a narrow strip along the northern horizon. No lightning seen 

 after 11'' 10"' ]>. m. 



Aurora boreaUs is equally sc^arce. At Nikolski, on November l.~), 1882, 1 observed 

 a faint northern light at 12'' 30'" a. m., local time, extending to about ;; Urs. majoris. 

 On November 17, 1882, I observed another at 10'' 40'" p. m., local time, consisting of 

 a uniform greenish white light below, above which most of the time a large rosy space 

 was seen filling the arch between y and >/ Urs. major is ; a similarly colored but often 



F. C. B. 1896—2 



