MOVING ANTICYCLONES. 3 



6. The average daily rate of translation derived from all the 

 available records is, over Australia, four hundred miles; and over 

 the sea and land from Natal to Sydney, four hundred and fifty- 

 eight miles. (See page 8.) The rate of translation of moving 

 anticyclones varies from two hundred to nine hundred and h'fty 

 miles over land. 



7. The shape of the anticyclone over the comparatively flat 

 lands of Australia is an ellipse, with axes in ratio of two to one, 

 the longer axis being east and west. The shape, as well as the 

 direction of the major axis, are, as a rule, modified when the 

 anticyclone reaches the coast range, the result being a shortening 

 of the major axis, and a bending of the major axis to or towards 

 a position at right angles to what it had on the low lands, i.e., 

 making it north and south. See diagrams 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 

 8 and 9. 



S. The winds on the north side of the anticyclone are not so 

 strong as those on the south side ; but at the ends the winds 

 have greater velocity, and the two winds, northerly and southerly, 

 pass each other as if struggling to get through between two 

 obstacles, i.e. the preceding and following anticyclones. See 

 diagrams 1 to 8. 



9. The intensity of weather is in proportion to the difference 

 in pressure between the anticyclone and the A depression, but the 

 relation of the pressure varies frequently before the wind responds, 

 and it seems as if the pressure was controlled from above by the 

 more or less rapid descent of air, which feeds the anticyclone. 

 The centre of the descending current, assuming that to be the 

 point of greatest pressure, not unfrequently moves about 

 independently of the general motion, so that the centre at times 

 seems to retreat, without corresponding motion in the extreme 

 parts of the anticyclone. 



10. When the A depression is deep it is usual for the South- 

 east Trade wind, blowing in the north of Australia, to be deflected 

 into a Northerly wind in the rear of an anticyclone, which gets 



