of the Australian Alps. 141 



Bernard, 5060 feet, would appear to be 33*91 Fahr., or about 

 two degrees above freezing point. The lowest temperature 

 recorded from ten a.m. observations is 29°, and the maximum 

 70° in the shade, 90° in the sun. July and August are the 

 coldest months, February and March the warmest. The 

 seasons of maximum cold for the past thirteen years appear 

 to have been 1876, 1881, and 1882; and the season of 

 greatest heat, 1882. The fall of snow sometimes commences 

 as early as April — although May is the usual month — and 

 begins to disappear during September, sometimes October. 

 April is frequently a rainy month, and during January and 

 February thunderstorms are prevalent, invariably from the 

 westward. As a rule the prevailing winds are from — 



S.W. to N.W. during summer. 

 SW to S.E. _,, autumn. 

 JN . W. „ winter. 



W. to N.W. „ spring. 



The wind blows with great force at these elevations, and the 

 changes are very rapid. Mr. Boustead informs me that he 

 has had thick fogs with rain all day at Mount St. Bernard, 

 while three miles lower down, or at an elevation of 4000 

 feet, the sun has been shining in a clear sky ! He also 

 remarks that it is an unusual thing to have a Christmas 

 without snow. 



