90 feature's 



paratively constant condition of wind and 

 weather, because the surface of the globe in 

 these regions is mostly water ; but in the north, 

 where most of the land surface is located, we 

 have a very different and a very complicated 

 set of conditions, as compared with the south- 

 ern zones. 



The freaks of wind and weather that we find 

 prevailing upon the North American conti- 

 nent are not so easily accounted for as the phe-* 

 nomena heretofore discussed. In the north- 

 ern part the land reaches far up toward the 

 north pole, while on the west lies the Pacific 

 Ocean, which merges into the Arctic Ocean at 

 Bering Strait. The climate of the western 

 coast is affected by a warm ocean current that 

 sets up as far north as Alaska, while high 

 ranges of mountains prevent the effects of this 

 warm current from being felt inland to any 

 great extent; all of which helps to complicate 

 any theory that may be advanced regarding 

 changes of weather. Aside from the changes 

 of temperature that are due to the seasons, 

 which are caused by the oscillating motion of 

 the earth between the limits of the Tropic of 

 Cancer on the north and the Tropic of Capri- 

 corn on the south, there are other changes con- 

 stantly taking place in all seasons of the year. 

 While it is not difficult to account for the 

 change of seasons and the gradual change of 

 temperature that would naturally follow 



