APPENDIX 583 



an inch in size, a moth, and a wasp. They were no doubt quite happy in 

 the heat, as the temperature inside was over 80° F., and the sun's rays felt 

 almost scorching through the thin duck canvas. Butterflies (and occasion- 

 ally large moths) were often observed flying in a drowsy condition about 

 the summit and were easily caught. They were fond of fluttering around 

 the steam-holes. In places, numbers were to be seen dead and dried up 

 on the ground, the detached wings lying about. In the case of a recently 

 dead butterfly I found its carcase already attacked by numerous small 

 bugs. The butterflies were most frequent when there was a fresh southerly 

 breeze, and were doubtless blown up the slopes from the forests below. 



Whymper in his Travels amongst the Great Andes of the Equator gives 

 many particulars of the occurrence of insects at great elevations. He 

 noticed beetles, diptera, butterflies, moths, and several other insects at 

 altitudes of 15,000 to 16,000 feet. At 16,500 feet he obtained a small bug 

 of the genus Emesa. He quotes Humboldt and Bonpland as showing 

 that insects are transported into the upper regions of the atmosphere 16,000 

 to 19,000 feet above the sea, and he remarks that the transportation of 

 insects by ascending currents of air has occasionally been observed in 

 operation. These facts bear directly on the dispersal of insects. 



The Winds. — My tent, which was pitched near the middle of the 

 western border of the crater, happened to be situated in the battle-ground 

 of the northerly and southerly winds, in a region of gusty winds, fitful airs, 

 and dead calms. The northerly winds were usually from N.-N.N.W. and 

 the southerly winds from S.W.-S.S.W., easting in either case being rarely 

 observed, the northerly winds rather prevailing at night. As a result of 

 this location miniature whirlwinds were frequent in the vicinity of my tent, 

 which carried sand into the air and more than once threatened to lift up 

 my tent bodily and carry it off into the crater below. At the north end of 

 the crater-border north-easterly winds prevailed, and at the south end 

 southerly winds occasionally showing easting. When on one occasion I 

 walked round the crater-margin, a fresh south-easterly wind prevailed at most 

 parts of the circumference except in the vicinity of my camp, where there was 

 a light S.S.W. wind both at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. when I started and returned. 

 The local character of the winds was often displayed in my walks. On 

 one occasion, having left my camp, where a southerly wind was blowing, 

 and walked half a mile to the north, I found a bitterly cold N.N.E. gale in 

 my face which so impeded my progress that I returned to my camp where 

 the same southerly breeze continued. 



Commodore Wilkes was encamped on the east side of the crater, and 

 there (December and January) he experienced strong south-west winds, on 

 at least three days having the force of a gale. These are the prevailing 

 winds in this season over the group ; whereas in August, the time of my 

 sojourn, south-westerly winds are quite out of season, this being in the 

 midst of the period of the N.E. trades. 



It will be gathered from the foregoing remarks that the mere record of 



