Statistics of Van Diemens Land. 133 



miuimum 28"596 inches in September, giving a barometrical 

 range upon the year of TSOG inch. The highest monthly 

 mean was 30'004 in July, and the lowest 29"041 in June ; 

 the difference being "963 inch. The mean pressure of the 

 year was 29" 73 9 inches. — The maximum temperature 

 occurred in December, when the thermometer stood at 

 86°-6 ; and the minimum in July, when it fell to 31°'3, giving 

 a range in the course of the year of 55°" 3. The highest 

 mean temperature for any month was 60°'2 in January ; the 

 lowest mean 42°"8 for July ; the difference between them 

 being 17°'4. The mean temperature for the whole year was 

 52? 3,— that for 1847 being 63°-2,— and for 1846, 53°" 1. 



The next Table gives the quantity of rain which fell 

 monthly during 1848, as denoted by the Self-registering 

 Eain Gauge at the Observatory ; the total being 23 '67 inches 

 for the year. A general impression prevails that this Island 

 has a dry climate, and is deficient in moisture ; and it may 

 therefore create- not a little surprise to state that Count 

 Strzelecki gives the annual fall of rain in New South 

 Wales and Van Diemen's Land as actually greater than in 

 England.* A most interesting conclusion is arrived at by 

 Lieut. Kay, based upon a cycle of 7 years, that the seasons 

 in this Colony are alternately wet and dry. In this last year 

 April was the driest month, and May the wettest ; the 

 quantities which fell being 0*54 and 4'34 inches respectively. 

 By comparison, it seems that much more rain falls annually 

 on the northern parts of the Island than at Hobart Town, 

 where Mount Wellington attracts much of the rain that 

 would otherwise be precipitated below. 



The popular opinion that the winds prevail from the 

 north west are amply confirmed by the next Table ; and it 



* Strzelecki's N, S. W. and V. D. L., p. 194, 



K 2 



