C. SKOTTSBERG 



Johow has little to say about the climate of the islands; at the time when 

 he published his book no dates were available as far as I am aware, but as he 

 classifies the forests as '' subtropicales siemprei>erdes' it is evident that he regar- 

 ded the climate as subtropical. From the meteorological observations published 

 at the time of vay first visit (1908) I concluded that "varm-temperate" was a more 

 correct expression (j". 52). It is in good accordance with the classification of 

 KOPPEN 1. c. On his map central Chile along the foot of the Cordillera belongs 

 to a region of "Warm gemassigte Regenklimate mit trockenem Sommer"; to this 

 type belongs the climate of Masatierra, even if the summer is not as dry as on 

 the mainland. With regard to Masafuera it is possible that the highland climate 

 approaches the Temperate climate of south Chile with rain at all seasons, cul- 

 minating during the winter half-year. 



Winds. 



The islands are situated near the south limit of the SE trade wind belt, 

 where the influence of winds from S to W also makes itself felt, while winds 

 from other directions are of rare occurrence. In 19 14 (Skottsb. ?. 49) I published 

 a table for the years 1901 — 1906, based on observations three times a day made 

 in Bahia Cumberland; of this a summary is given in Table VI. 



Table VI. Wind directions in % of all observations 1901 — 1906, calms included 



(a) and excluded (b). 



Winds from SE, SSE and S 47.3 %, from SSW, SW\ WSW^ and W 34.4%, 

 together 81.7%, leaving only 7% for other directions, or, if calm days are ex- 

 cluded, 53,3, 38,7 and ".-J^/o, respectively. W^inds from SSE prevail from August 

 to March, with SE and S — SW coming second; SW overweighs from May to 

 July, bringing heavy rain over the mountains, and from April to July winds from 

 W — NW are more frequent than at other times, but as a rule Bahia Cumberland 



