152 OBSERVATIONS ON THE WINDS. 



The winds intermediate between N.E. and S.E. occur duringthe changes 

 from N.E. to S.B., and it would be of little value to refer to the greatest 

 and least quantities. 



The S.E. wind is at a minimum in December and January at Kay West; 

 in January and February at Fort Morgan ; in December and January at 

 Galveston. It is at a maximum at Kay West in July ; but, being replaced 

 during the summer to a great extent by the sea-breeze (S.W.) at Fort 

 Morgan, makes its minimum in November, and at Galveston in May, 

 doubtless from the disturbing effect of the land ; it is again large in July. 

 This is the sea-breeze of Kay West, and, as well as the South wind, that 

 of Galveston. 



(d). The movement of the prevailing wind at Kay West, where the dis- 

 turbing causes of the land are the least, is very instructive. 



The prevailing wind in April, May, June, and July, is the S.E., hauling 

 to the Eastward in August, and becoming E.S.E. In September and October 

 it passes farther North toE.N.E., and in November and December becomes 

 N.E. ; in January it reaches North ; returning Southward, in February it 

 is N.N.E., in March East, and reaches the S.E. in April. The local action 

 is thus seen to prevail for the greater part of the year over the general. For 

 the whole year the S.E. wind exceeds any other from an Easterly point. 



The Easterly wind at Fort Morgan reaches no farther South than E.S.E. 

 in the spring and summer. In September, the prevailing wind is N.E., 

 passing to E.N. E. in October, and back to E.S.E. in the winter and spring. 

 The general tendency for the year is then E.S.E. 



The changes at Galveston resemble those at Kay West, the general 

 absence of E.N.E. and E.S.E. winds being due to defects in the observa- 

 tions. 



In the Strait of Florida the Trade breezes are the prevailing winds, but 

 they are interrupted by Norths in the winter, and by Calms in the summer. 

 Although the Northern limit of this channel is within the boundary of the 

 Trade Wind, it is necessary to remember that in winter, or from November 

 till April, the variable winds from the Southward and Eastward, and 

 Southward and Westward, are met with in lat. 27°, and even before ; and 

 in summer, from May until September, the winds in the whole channel are 

 variable from the Southward and Eastward, and Southward and Westward. 



5.-EaUAT0RIAL CALMS AND WINDS. 



(76.) The N.E. and S.E. Trades, blowing towards each other, meet and 

 are neutralized near the Equator (6). This neutral line of Calms and 

 Varying Winds is sometimes known by the name of the " Doldrums," an 

 uncouth term, which, we think, has had unmerited authority given to it. 

 It is, perhaps, a corruption of the Spanish doloroso, or old Portuguese 

 dolorio, " tormenting." 



Commander Maury says, "This region of Doldrums has a mean average 

 ,breadth (around the globe) of about 6 degrees of latitude. In this region. 



