THE TEADE WIND. 137 



February. — The N.E. Trade has advanced nearly 2° to the Southward 

 since January ; it now extends to about 4° N. on the Eastern side, and to 

 the Equator on the Western side of the district. It still falls light and 

 becomes North- Westerly near the African land. Between 10° and 20° N. 

 it has decidedly decreased in force since January, whilst between 

 0° and 10° N. its force has increased. It is still very gusty in Square 40°, 

 and in some cases the gusts are strongest when the sky is clear, and are 

 called " hard clear squalls." 



The S.E. Trade prevails to 2° N. in the central part of the district, 

 whilst on the Eastern side a light South- Westerly wind prevails between 

 4° and 6° N., where it is met by the light North- Westerly wind of the 

 N.E. Trade. The S.E. Trade has decidedly decreased in force since 

 January. In Square 302 there is frequent mention of squalls or sudden 

 shifts of wind from S.E. to N.E., as though the upper current of air some- 

 times forced itself to the surface. 



March. — The N.E. Trade holds much the same position in the central 

 part and on the Eastern side of the district as in February, but it has 

 advanced to the Southward of the Equator near South America. Its direc- 

 tion has become more North- Westerly on the Eastern side of the district 

 than it was in February, where it also continues to be much lighter than on 

 the Western side. It has decreased in force since February. Square 40 is 

 still remarkable for having strong gusts of wind, and in some cases it is 

 recorded that they are stronger with a clear than with a cloudy sky. 



The S.E. Trade still prevails to 2° N. in the central and Eastern parts of 

 the district, and a South- Westerly wind is found to prevail as far as 8° N. 

 between 15° and 20° W., where it meets the prevailing North- Westerly 

 wind of the N.E. Trade, both blowing towards the area of lowest pressure. 

 It seems to have slightly increased in force since February. 



April. — The direction of the N.E. Trade is very similar to that for Marfh, 

 it being still North -Easterly on the Western side of the district, Northerly 

 between 20° and 25° W., and drawing into a light North- Westerly wind on 

 its Eastern side, where it extends 2° more to the Southward than in March. 

 Between 18° and 20° N. there has been but little change in its force since 

 March, but to the Southward of that latitude it has decidedly decreased. 

 Gusts of wind are rarely reported in Square 40, but puffs (a weaker kind 

 of gust) were stiU very common, and much more frequent than in 

 Square 39. 



The S.E. Trade only prevails to 4° S. on the Western side of the district, 

 but it extends to 4° N. on its Eastern side. 



The prevailing South-Easterly wind shown between 8° and 10° N. on 

 the Eastern side of the district is the result of only one observation, whilst 

 the North- Westerly winds which surround it number thirty, so that North- 

 westerly winds may be supposed to prevail there. The S.E. Trade has 

 sUghtly increased in force since March. 



May. — The direction of the N.E. Trade is very similar to that of April, 

 though rather more Easterly between 20° and 25° W. ; its force has in- 

 creased in the Northern part of the district, but decidedly decreased to 

 the Southward of 10° N. It has generally receded fuUy 2° before the S.E. 



N. A. 0. 19 



