Chemical and Physical Notes 

 TABLE XXI. 



121 



the temperature of the air at noon reached 24'9 C., a very high figure for 

 a station in nearly 57 north latitude. Along with the great rise of 

 temperature there is a fall of absolute as well as of relative humidity, 

 indicating that the air has come from a greater altitude. Attempts to 

 measure the actual temperatures of the hot puffs gave no satisfactory 

 result." 



These few lines will give an idea of the nature of the 

 weather called Fbhn. The temperature of the air is ab- 

 normally high, and it is very unequally distributed through 

 the mass of the air. The atmosphere seems rather to be 

 made up of sheets of air of very different temperature ; it 

 is also very dry. 



In the Antarctic regions there are plenty of high mountains 

 and sharp gradients, and it is certain that conditions described 

 as characterising Fbhn must occur in some localities under 

 certain meteorological conditions. Drygalski has called at- 

 tention to the importance of Fbhn as a climatic factor in 

 Greenland. Where the heat disengaged by the contraction 

 of the descending air is sufficient to raise its temperature 

 above that of melting ice, its effect is at once apparent, and 

 the fact that the West Coast of Greenland is free from land- 

 ice at and near the sea-level, is attributed mainly to the heat 

 of the Fbhn. It is evident that, in the middle of winter with 

 a general temperature of 30 C. to 50 C., Fbhn may 

 prevail without its being able to raise the temperature of the 

 air to that of melting ice. Indeed, it may even raise it above 

 this temperature, but the air will not melt any ice in the open 

 until it has raised its temperature from 30 or 50 up to 

 o C., and this will take some time, which may be longer than 

 that during which the Fbhn prevails. In summer in Greenland, 



