197 



stages upon the roof, especially upon Eastern Franklin 

 (pi. viii., fig. 2). When the superficial layers are removed the 

 underlying travertine is exposed as a pavement, which resists 

 erosion. Local patches of travertine that have been exposed 

 in this way may remain as knolls rising a few feet above the 

 general level of the roof (pi. ix., fig. 1). Travertine pavements 

 bear a characteristic flora that by its growth leads to their 

 disintegration, when the sand flora reappears. 



Nowhere on the islands is there anything in the nature 

 of a watercourse, claypan, or rockhole. All rain that falle 

 must sink directly into the soil, and presumably soaks through 

 to the granitic platform. It might be expected that along 

 the edge of this there would be damper areas, or even springs, 

 but if this be so they were dry in January. 



Climate. 



Meteorological data of uninhabited islands are obviously 

 difficult to obtain, but some impression of the climate can be 

 gained by comparison with the mainland nearby. The two 

 nearest stations of the Commonwealth Meteorological Service 

 are Fowler Bay and Streaky Bay; the records of these are 

 given below by the courtesy of the State Meteorologist, to 

 whom my thanks are due. 



Table I. 



Average, highest .and lowest monthly rainfall at Streaky 

 Bay (S.) and Fowler Bay (F.), in inches, for a period of 44 

 years : — 





G 

 re 





re 



p. 



< 





V 



1 — . 



to 



<: 



C/3 



o 



O 



> 

 o 

 :2; 



p 



V 



Average, 



S 



.43 



.54 



.59 



1.02 



1.97 



2.86 



2.36 



1.94 1.36 



.95 



.68 



.40 



15.10 



<< 



F 



.38 



.50 



.50 



.87 



1.82 



2.19 



1.74 



1.47 .94 



.87 



.60 



.30 



12.16 



Highest, 



S 



3.37 



4.67 



2.43 



4.05 



4.81 



7.51 



6.02 



5.12 4.03 



2.37 



4.18 



2.48 



23.50 



(( 



F 



2.94 



3.90 



3.26 



3.74 



4.31 



5.76 



4.30 



4.8212.62 



2.67 



2.79 



1.43 



19.00 



Lowest, 



S 



.00 



.00 



.00 



.00 



.13 



.26 



.56 



.43 



.13 



.00 



.00 



.00 



9.34 



iC 



F 



.00 



.00 



.00 



.00 



.31 



.24 



.32 



.36 



.05 



.00 



.00 



.00 



6.91 



Table II. 

 Average, absolute highest and absolute lowest temperatures, 

 in degrees Fahrenheit, at Streaky Bay (S.) and Fowler Bay (F.), 

 The records at Streaky Bay have been kept for 31 years, and for 

 six years, at Fowler Bay: — 



jar, 

 Feb. 





'C 



p. 

 < 



re 



1 — . 



I—. 



3 



< 





c 



> 



o 



15 



u 



p 



u 

 a 



V 



Av. temp. S. 



71.7 



72.6 



68.5 



63.9 



58.9 



54.8 



52.9 



54.9 



57.8 



62.5 



67.0 



70.5 



67.2 



" F. 



68.9 



69.2 



68.0 



63.6 



59.9 



54.2 



53.6 



55.4 



58.7 



61.6 



64.7 



68.1 



62.2 



Abs. high, S. 



114.2 



114.2 



104.7 



96.0 



88.3 



79.0 



73.0 



83.0 



91.0 



104.2 



113.8 



117.0 



117.0 



" « F. 



109.0 



113.0 



108.5 



100.2 



91.3 



82.8 



79.5 



86.0 



95.0 



108.8 



114.5 



113.9 



114.5 



Abs. low, S. 



46.2 



44.8 



43.5 



40.2 



34.0 



32.0 



31.2 



32.2 



33.9 



38.0 



39.5 



42.5 



31.2 



" F. 



50.5 



50.5 



49.5 



42.0 



36.1 



35.0 



32.1 



35.1 



36.5 



40.0 



47.0 



48.7 



32.1 



