180 Phenomena of the Cuba Hurricane. 
storm having, in these cases, somewhat the form of an annular 
disk, of great internal diameter. 
Tue Axta Reeton.—The lull or abatement of the wind’s 
force in the center of the hurricane or gale, is a marked feature 
of this and other active storms. The superficial extent of this 
area of inactivity seems variable and uncertain. It is commonly 
found to be greatly extended as the storm advances into the 
higher latitudes ; where, not unfrequently, it seems to become 
merged with a general remission in the force of the easterly 
winds which belong to the anterior portion of the gale; as may 
be seen in the more advanced stages of this storm, (reports 161 to 
165,) and perhaps may be shown more fully hereafter.* 
This axial lull and the shift of wind which immediately fol- 
lows it, must be distinguished from sudden but more partial 
changes 3 in the wind’s direction at greater distances from the cen- 
ter, which may result from mere oscillatory movements in the 
advancing axis or from the concurrent force of adjacent winds, or 
other causes, and which may be communicated over large por- 
tions of the most active part of the gale. ‘This unequable shifting 
or veering is strongly exemplified in the reports from the Roscius 
(133) and Wakulla (148), concurrently on different sides of the 
axis, at neatly the same time; as if the higher portion of the 
storm bly overrun | ‘the lower, in its progression, and 
suddenly taken its place at the surface. Some lesser degrees of 
this unequal veering, and sometimes of a fluctuating or oscilla- 
tory character, may be seen in other parts of the storm.t+ 
* It might be inquired how far the direct momentum of the violent and onward 
wind in “the right hand side of the storm path may favor its partial or complete 
oversliding of the more sluggish atmosphere on the earth’s surface, in passing to 
the front of the storm, in the higher Jatitudes; thus approximating more nearly to 
a true plane of rotation. If any ‘pomaibiis weight can be allowed to this suggestion, 
which, to a limited extent, is accordant with an idea of the Jate Prof. Lxst1®, it 
may perhaps serve in explaining the comparative inactivity of the easterly winds 
in this and other storms of the Atlantic, in the higher latitudes, particularly in the 
colder portions of the year, when, often the principal strength and duration of the 
gales are found mainly in the westerly winds of the posterior side of the storm, on 
a rising barometer ; as is yh i peat experienced in navigating between Europe 
and the northern portions of America. But the slower easterly rotation of the 
earth in higher latitudes, in a diate reducing ratio as the gale advances, ap- 
ee. to afford a better explanation of this somewhat common bea tf of force 
or and posterior sides of the storm. ete 
