METEOROLOGY OF THE KUETLS. 241 



laid down too far west; the Mushir rocks are slightly too far north. These and a few 

 minor alterations have been introduced in the maps accompanying this report, chiefly 

 from a number of traverse plane table sketches made at various points in the Middle 

 Kuxils (pis. 104-107). 



METEOROLOGY. 



There has never been published, nor has there to my knowledge ever been taken, 

 any series of reliable meteorological observations on the Kuril Islands. All that we 

 know of the climatic conditions is therefore gathered from comparisons between the 

 observations taken in Yezo, Sakhalin, and Kamchatka, as well as from the. general 

 statements of those who have lived some time on the islands. 



Our own sojourn among the Kurils was too short to throw much light on the 

 question. During our stay in the middle Kurils we were favored with pleasant 

 weather, though occasionally bothered by the fog for which these islands are justly 

 celebrated. Fragmentary as the information is, it may be well to incorporate it in 

 these pages. 



Prof. 0. Carpmael, F. E. S. C, director of the meteorological service of Canada, 

 has given a few general statements as to the mean temperature of the Kuril Islands, 

 apparently chiefly based upon the curves in the Challenger report. In May * # * 

 the mean temperatures in the Kuril Islands are probably between 40 and 44 

 degrees. » * » The Challenger report makes the Kuril Islands [in June] some- 

 what over 55 degrees, but the temperature at Nemuro, taken with those on Saghalin 

 Island and at Petropavlovsk, would lead me to the conclusion that 50 degrees must 

 be very near the mean on all of them. * * * in July * * * the mean * * * 

 in tlie Kuril Islands is probably a little under 60 degrees. * * * In August the 

 mean * * * over the greater portion of the Kuril Islands * * * a little 

 under 60 degrees. * * * in September the mean lies between the extremes at 

 [Bering Island 46.8, and Robben Island a little below 55 degrees]. (Fur Seal Arb. 

 Proc. VIII, pp. 511-512.) The mean temperatures in the fur-seal islands of the Kurils 

 are probably lower than the above figures. 



Captain Snow, in his recently published Notes on the Kuril Islands, gives a 

 summary of the climatic conditions of the Kurils based upon an experience of fifteen 

 years, as follows : 



The climate of the Kuril Islands is decidedly !>■ moist one, although it can not he said that the 

 rainfall is large. 



The spring is cold and boisterous; during the early part northwesterly winds jjievail, and there 

 is but little fog. Throughout the latter half the winds are very variable, with occasional spells of 

 snow, rain, and fog. 



Large ice fields are brought across the Okhotsk Sea in February, and these become blocked on 

 the Southwest Kurils and east coast of Yezo, and it is sometimes well into May before all the ice has 

 cleared ofif from this vicinity. 



Fog almost constantly prevails throughout the summer, and, generally speaking, it is only with 

 a fresh northwest wind that it clears off entirely at this season. The clear spells, however, are of 

 short duration. 



The autumn is the finest season — bright, clear, pleasant weather, with westerly winds, this 

 sometimes continuing even until the middle of November. 



The winter is cold, and northwest winds blow throughout the greater part of it. During the 

 winter the writer spent on the Island of Yetorup there were many fine days when the weather was 



15183— PT 4 ^16 



