REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 25 



determined in regard to the true north. It appears from all the 

 observations that the true direction of the wind is from the eastward, 

 varying in the several months northward and southward. There is 

 but one exception, namely, in June; the wind then veers round to 

 the westward of south. The resulting direction for the whole year 

 is almost exactly east; in winter it is E.N.E. and in summer S.E. by S. 



The greatest quantity of air which moves over the place during 

 the year comes from a direction north of east. 



The predominance of calms is a circumstance quite characteristic 

 of this region. The number of hours of winds recorded was 3,697, 

 and those of still weather 5,063. 



The snow or rain wind is between N.N.E. and E.S.E., or from the 

 direction of the Spitzbergen sea, and also from the opposite direction 

 of S.S. W., or that of the upper Baffin's bay. From the northwestern 

 quarter there was hardly any precipitation. 



During the whole period there were recorded thirteen gales, with 

 a duration of not less than two hours. They do not appear to be 

 confined to any particular season of the year, and on the average 

 continue about seven hours. 



These records are of great interest in enabling us to ascertain 

 whether the great storms which pass over the United States can be 

 traced into the Arctic regions. 



For observations on atmospheric pressure the expedition was pro- 

 vided with a mercurial barometer and two aneroids, and from a series 

 of reductions of the observations of these instruments it is concluded 

 that the indications of the aneroid may generally be relied on to 

 within nearly one hundredth of an inch. 



Owing to the small amplitude in the oscillations of the barometer, 

 and the magnitude of occasional disturbances, the law of diurnal 

 variation is apparently subject to considerable fluctuations. The 

 principal maximum is reached about one o'clock p. m. ; the evening 

 maximum at about ten p. m., in conformity with the general law 

 dediiced from observations in the northern hemisphere. • The one 

 p. m. minimum seems to occur about three hours earlier than is 

 indicated at more southern stations. 



The average maximum height of the barometer is above the mean 

 in the months of January, February, March, April, and May, and 

 descends below the mean in the remaining summer and autumn months. 

 The general law observed in other parts of the world, that the height 



