na au Eh LE Be ee ne cz" Sahhaan ale u ua Merlin En alas Sana Dale bie) u en 
Details regarding the botanical distriets. 41 
10. The Eastern district. 
This district has also a semi-continental climate.e The hot wind, already 
described, though not peculiar to the district, is an important climatic feature. 
Extremes of climate constantly occur and a sudden shift of the wind to a 
southerly direction brings a rapid decline in temperature. These southwesters 
are frequently accountable for heavy showers and thunder storms, but the most 
generous rains are from the S. E. The mean temperature is 11.5°, the mean 
maximum 16.4° and the mean minimum 6.6°. Frost is frequent and more 
severe close to the shore-line than in any other part of New Zealand at that 
altitude,—8° not being uncommon. Also snow may lie for several days at 
sea-level in winter, but this is not a common occurrence. Perpetual snow 
only lies in patches on the highest peaks. The mean rainfall is 65 cm 
distributed thus: — spring 24.3 p. c.; summer 23.8 p. c.; autumn 25.9 p. c.; 
winter 26 p. c. Were records available for the high mountains and western 
part of the district, the total rainfall would be considerably increased. 
ı1. The North-western district. 
This possesses a humid climate with a heavy rainfall. It is fully open to 
the prevailing westerly winds and while those from the N. W. bring rain, as 
they change to the S. the weather clears while S. E. winds occasionally are 
of a foehn-like character. Frost and snow are abundant in the mountains in 
winter and to some extent at all seasons, but of little moment at sea-level. 
The mean rainfall is 188 cm distributed as follows: — spring 25 p. c.; summer 
22.6 p. c., autumn 26.2 p. c., winter 26.2 p. c. 
12. The Western. district. 
This district has a still heavier rainfall than the North-western, otherwise 
the climatic conditions are very similar. The snow-fall is extremely heavy on 
the high mountains, so that glaciers of great size descend to remarkably low 
altitudes both on the E. and W. of the Southern Alps. The sky notwith- 
standing the copious downpour is frequently clear and sunshine more abundant 
than could be anticipated, e. g. 1720 hours in ı913 but that year was ex- 
ceptionally fine. April (32 cm) and October (36 cm) are the months of greatest 
rainfall. The mean annual rainfall is 317 cm distributed as follows: — spring 
27-7 P- €., summer 23.3 p. C.; autumn 26.3 p.c.; winter 22.7 p.cC. 
13. /he Fiord. district. 
This district has the maximum rainfall and the greatest number of rainy 
days in the New Zealand region. Frost and snow, though frequent in the 
mountains and occurring at all seasons are probably of little moment at sea- 
level. Taking the few isolated stations for which records are available there 
is a mean of 413 cm distributed as follows: — spring 24.8 p. c.; summer 22. wi es 
autumn 29.5 P.c.; winter 23.3 P- C. n 
