CLIMATE. 15 



peat bogs, which have invaded many of the old lake basins, might supply Austria 

 with fuel for centuries.* 



The area occupied by the Austrian Alps is so considerable that the torrents fed 

 by snow become veritable rivers before they bid farewell to the mountain defiles. 

 These rivers compensate to some extent for the non-existence of large lakes. Few 

 river valleys of Europe can compare in beauty with those of the Drave, the Inn, 

 or the Upper Adige (Etsch). The wide and cultivated valley of the former 

 separates the snow- clad dolomite peaks on the Italian frontier from the serrated 

 chain of the Tauern. The valley of the Inn presents us with an astonishing 

 variety of scenery, due to the fertility of its bottom-lands — the picturesque towns 

 and castles perched upon its sides, the fine contours of its mountains, clad with 

 sombre woods or verdant pasture-grounds, and contrasting strikingly with the 

 snow-clad heights above and the deep azure sky. More beauteous still are the 

 valleys of Eisack and the Adige, to the south of the Brenner. We there breathe 

 the balmy air of Italy. Vines cover the hill-slopes, white campaniles rise above 

 groves of trees, and far in the distance we look upon the smiling plain of the Po. 



Climate, 



There exist not only local differences of climate, as is the case in all mountain 

 regions, but also general contrasts, resulting from the diversion of atmospheric 

 currents by the mountain masses. 



The difference in temperature between the southern and northern valleys is far 

 more considerable than can be accounted for by difference of latitude. The 

 mean annual temperature of Linz is 14° less than that of Verona, at the 

 mouth of the valley of the Adige, although the difference of latitude between the 

 two does not amount to 3°. The rainfall on the southern slopes is far 

 greater than on the northern, for the Alps intercept the moist winds of the 

 Adriatic and Mediterranean. Thunder-storms are frequent in the south, but very 

 rare in the plains of Austria. ' Moreover, whilst in the south the greatest quantity 

 of rain falls during summer, autumn is the rainy season in the north. The Alps 

 consequently constitute a well-marked meteorological boundary. The fohn of 

 Switzerland is not known in the Austrian Alps, except perhaps in the Vorarlberg, 

 which lies within the basin of the Rhine. 



Similar contrasts may be observed on proceeding from west to east. In the 

 east, towards the plain of Hungary, the mean annual temperature is 7° less than 



* The lakes of the Austrian Alps {see means lake) : — 



Height. Depth. 



Achensee 2,947 P 



Zellersee 2,466 623 



/ Worthersee 1,325 223 



Camnthia I Osiachersee 1,524 148 



( Millstadtersee 1,910 394 



fAttersee 1,490 728 



I Traunsee 1,335 358 



c . J Mondsee 1,522 128 



^^^'^^'^^^^«^^ i St. Wolfgangssee 1,777 374 



Hallstàtteréee 1,614 305 



^Teplitzsee 2,274 200 





