88 THE CLIMATE OF AUSTRALASIA 



meteorological kite to sound that great sea of 

 moisture ; and I dreamt of the time when kites 

 would spray those clouds with liquid air, and 

 discharge their now wasted contents on to the 

 wasted plains below. 



CHAPTER II. PROSPECTS OF LONG PERIOD 

 WEATHER FORECASTS. 



Few investments promise Australia a higher 

 return than meteorological research ; but to be 

 successful that research must be conducted 

 patiently, and on well considered lines ; it must 

 sound the ocean of air that floats above us, and 

 must watch, by the collection of water samples, 

 the influential changes in the circulation of 

 the seas around our shores. These studies are 

 necessary for the solar changes, which act upon 

 our weather, act indirectly, by variations in the 

 temperature and currents of the oceans. The 

 variations in solar radiation are probably 

 insufficient to cause any appreciable direct 

 change in the temperature of the surface 

 waters. The changes in the sun probably act 

 on the far more sensitive atmosphere, and the 

 winds disturb the oceanic circulation and change 

 the surface temperature of a wide expanse of 

 ocean, and thus affect the temperature and 

 rainfall of the adjacent lands. 



