1 88 POPULAR LECTURES AND ADDRESSES. 



Professor Adams of Cambridge, have been ap- 

 pointed, and one of their chief objects will be to 

 examine the long period tides [see note to p. 203]. 

 There is one very interesting point I said I 

 would endeavour to speak of if I had time ; I 

 have not time, but still I must speak of it the 

 influence of the moon on the weather. "We 

 almost laugh when we hear of the influence of 

 the moon on the weather," Sir F. Evans said 

 to me, "but there is an influence." Gales of 

 wind are remarkably prevalent in Torres Straits 

 and the neighbourhood about the time of new 

 and full moon. This was noticed by Dr. Rattray, 

 a surgeon in the navy, in connection with obser- 

 vations made by the surveying ship, Ffy, during 

 the three years 1841-44. Dr. Rattray noticed 

 that at those times there was a large area of coral 

 reef uncovered at the very low water of the 

 spring tides, extending out some sixty or seventy 

 miles from land. This large area becomes highly 

 heated, and the great heating of that large portion 

 of land gives rise to a tendency to gales at the 

 full and change, that is at the new and full moon. 



