HOUTMAN ABROLHOS ISLANDS. 141 



On our first expedition to the Abrolhos, leaving Geraldton on November 

 9th, 1913, the temperature of the sea at Geraldton was 16"7° C. when we 

 started. On our arrival at the islands we found the temperature to be 20° 0. 

 Arrangements had been made for the Harbour Master to take some tempera- 

 tures at Geraldton whilst we were at the islands. The following is a 

 comparison of the figures, the temperatures being taken at the same hour 

 and early in the morning at the two places. 



Geraldton. Abrolhos Isles. 



Nov. 9th, 1913 ... 16-7° C. ... 20° C. 



„ 10th, „ ... 16-7° G. ... 20° C. 



„ 12th, „ ... 17-8° 0. ... 19-75° C. 



„ 13th, „ ... 19-4° C. ... 20° 0. 



„ 15th, „ ... 19-4° C. ... 21° 0. 



The temperatures at Geraldton were certainly lower than those at the 

 Abrolhos Isles, but a remarkable increase happened to take place within a 

 week at the former place whilst the sea temperatures at the islands remained 

 constant. This was undoubtedly due to a very local heat-wave which visited 

 the mainland causing the temperature to rise to 104° F. in the shade ! It 

 would quite easily affect the waters of the Geraldton bay. I am afraid this 



Text- figure 3. 



• s29° 



-=-?■?-,, 



Abrolhos* « yBEraldton 

 Islands. 



illustrates the futility of drawing conclusions from isolated records. At the 

 same time the early temperatures record a difference of about 3° C. between 

 the waters bathing the Abrolhos and those of Geraldton. This is not such a 

 great difference as that noted by Kent, and I am inclined to regard the low 

 temperature of 13 - 3° C. recorded by him at Geraldton in July 1894 as also 

 abnormal (granting the possibility of error in making the record). 



