CLIMATE AND PREVALENT WINDS 207 



As a rule the greatest rainfall occurs in the first half of 

 the year, April being the wettest month and October the 

 driest ; the average fall for each month being : 



Jan. 8-03 ins. Feb. 3-60 ins. March 8-37 ins. April 12-50 ins. 

 May 8-76 „ June 7-65 „ July 9-37 „ Aug. 2-73 „ 



Sept. 1-42 „ Oct. 1-02 „ Nov. 7-51 „ Dec. 3-01 „ 



(The readings for November are probably exceptional, for 

 in Nov. 1903, 14-38 inches, the maximum rainfall for a 

 single day, fell. Leaving 1903 out and taking only 1902, 

 1904, and 1905, the average rainfall for November is 1*85 

 inches.) 



This amount of rain is distributed over an average of 1 5 6 

 days every year. The actual number of days on which rain 

 fell beinof as follows : 



In 1902 148 wet days 



In 1903 190 „ „ 



In 1904 139 „ „ 



In 1905 . . 149 „ „ 



These 156 wet days are distributed, on the average, among 

 the. twelve months as follows: 



IN 



Jan. 9-5 days Feb, 10-7 days March 14-5 days April 18*8 days 

 May] 6-2 „ June 15-0 „ July 18-7 „ Aug. 15-2 „ 

 Sept. 9-7 „ Oct. 10-0 „ Nov. 11-3 ,, Dec. 9-5 , 



Temperature. — The mean temperature of the islands is 

 81° and the mean daily variation is 9'06°. It must be re- 

 membered in making estimates of the temperature of the 

 group that the maximum is a very sustained one, the greatest 

 heat does not last for merely an hour or two of noontide 

 sunshine, but, with very trivial variations, is felt during a 

 greater part of the day. 



