ANTARCTIC CLIMATE. 41 
and as many “ partially clear.” In January the “ clear” days reached 
the total of thirteen, and five were at least “ partially clear.” Rain 
was last observed on December 5 in lat. 63°S. After that date 
precipitation was always in the solid form. December had four, 
January twelve days of snow. 
SUPAN. 
” 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE GERMAN 
“VALDIVIA” EXPEDITION, 
(From Geographical Journal, vol. xv. p. 527.) 
THE meteorological equipment had been supplied from the “ Seewarte” 
at Hamburg. A meteorological journal was kept, the observations 
being registered every four hours (day and night) by the officer on 
the bridge. Besides these important observations, we had three 
registering instruments, a thermograph, a hygrograph, and a baro- 
graph (by Richard Fréres), which showed themselves very correct 
during the entire voyage. Thus for every hour of our way we shall 
be enabled to give the most important climatic elements. A hygro- 
graph, especially in the high Southern latitude, is, perhaps, a new 
thing at sea. 
The variations of the barometer in the squalls of the Tropics, 
at the change of the winds, etc. have been observed, and some 
observations of insolation and radiation have been made, besides 
measurements of the amount of rainfall, etc. 
I will here describe only the state of the weather near the ice- 
limit, as we know it for a relatively large distance from 0° to 60° E, 
long. Here the limit between the stormy region of the “ brave West 
winds” and the light East winds south of about 55°-57° S, lat. has a 
particular interest. 
When we left Cape Town in November, on a South-south-west 
course, we had variable and often stormy weather, frequently a heavy 
sea, and sometimes heavy storms from the West-north-west. Not 
later than near Bouvet Island we got temperatures of the water of 
30° F. and of the air under 32° F.—that is to say, in the southern 
summer and in a latitude like the northern part of England. Add 
thereto a continuous storm from North-west or West-north-west, and 
you may see that it was terrible weather; the deck was frozen or 
