The Mediterranean Sea 231 



70 metres was found to have a temperature of 25-1 C, while 

 that at 50 metres was 20-1 C., and that at 90 metres was 

 16-7 C. The results obtained in the deep water are no doubt 

 quite reliable, for the temperature is so uniform that a few 

 fathoms more or less in the depth at which it turned would 

 make no difference in the temperature registered. In the 

 more northern parts of this portion of the western basin, off 

 the coast of Corsica, we find a practically uniform temperature 

 from 250 metres down to the bottom in 2800 metres, the mean 

 bottom temperature being 55-96 F. Further to the south the 

 temperature of the abyssal water appears to be distinctly 

 higher. Thus between the south end of Sardinia and the 

 Bay of Naples, in the deepest water, the practical uniformity 

 of temperature is not reached until a depth of 1000 metres has 

 been passed, and it is there 56-7 F. It is unfortunate that 



lo not know what the bottom temperature in other parts 

 of the Mediterranean was. In this summer of 1881 it 

 (juite one degree higher than that observed by Dr Carpenu r 

 in 1870. 



The i^ivat value of such a volume of water as an ec]uah/< r 



of temperature on its shores must be apparent, though in this 



t is inferior to the Atlantic Ocean in its immediate 



iibourhood. Places on the west coast of Spain and Portugal 

 :nurh higher winter temperature and lower summer 

 temperature than places in the same latitude in Italy. The 

 reason of this i- -imple: on the Atlantic coa<t the principal 

 winds in winter are from the south-west, and hav< 

 iin effect, while in summer the source of the north 

 wind is pushed back into th- I'.av oi Biscay, can 

 in this season constant northerly winds along the coast <>i 

 Portu 1 I h<- winds of tip have no seas of 



remot.- ' ',v on either tr In ftting Of roolin- 



purpo-.-s, though the x.mdv deSCftfl o| Alii. -a which hound its 



:iern coasts have at certain seasooi a very deeided 



influence on the elim :, I he tent] 



does not <-\ti-u<l very far inland. ut iroin the climate 



of inland to\. :.. in Italv. AS the Mediterranean shot 



so much impoitan. as h.-.dih the data presented 



