ERR es 
gress through the Pandsh valley in Goran was the enormous 
masses of snow lying on the mountain sides, often avalanche- 
snow, in which our horses stuck fast again and again. 
The humidity in the air is slight. The table shows the 
averages for Pamirski Post, those for Chorock have not been 
given by Ficker. The records made by the expedition 
(OLUFSEN), show that the average humidity in July was 
38 °/o, in August 21 °/o — both from High Pamir. The 
minima recorded for these months were 5 °/o and 2 °/o. 
There is, then, less humidity in the air of Pamir than 
in that of the lowlands of Transcaspia, where Tashkent, for 
instance, shows a yearly average of 63, Petro Alexandrowsk 
57. (FICKER, see PAULSEN as well.) 
It was unnecessary to read a record of the dryness of 
the atmosphere in Pamir to become conscious of that con- 
dition. It is the most peculiar characteristic of the country, 
— the clear air (when not filled with dust) and the scorched 
and desolate appearance of the earth are always reminding 
one of the fact. It was noticeable too, how quickly one’s 
clothing dried, and too how often it was necessary to dip 
or refill ones pen. 
I have no data to show the amount of evaporation but 
it stands to reason that it must be very great. 
The temperature of the soil was measured by the ex- 
pedition at Jashil Kul in High Pamir during July and August 
and at Chorock in Lower Pamir from November to February. 
The depths at which measurements were made were from 
0,40—1,50 mètres. In High Pamir the temperature at the 
greatest depth varied between 7—8°, and at the smallest 
depth between 12—17°, while observations of temperature 
at the surface of the ground varied between 7 —33°,5. All 
records of soil-temperatures were made on horizontal ground. 
Slopes with southern exposures presumably show higher tem- 
peratures. Near Chorock the. temperature at the greatest 
depth (1,3 mètres) lay between 0,6 and 97,4, at the smallest 
depth (0,40 mètres) between — 876 and 3°». Whereas night 
frosts became the rule from the middle of November, no ne- 
gative temperature was observed at 0,1 mètres below ground 
