ABOUT TERRESTRIAL TEMPERATURE. 81 
done in the following table, commencing from the north pole. The proportions 
were taken by accurate measurement from a three-feet Cary’s globe, with the ex- 
ception of the Arctic regions, which were measured on an Admiralty polar chart. 
Tase II. 
















Parallel. Proportion of Land. Proportion of Water. 
90° North Unknown. Unknown. 
50, Unknown. Unknown, 
ov ‘286 “714 
rh See 483 617 
GOs; 568 432 
GX) as 563 437 
40 ,, "445 555 
SON as, 434 "566 
20) 5, 308 692 
BOM hy: 234 "766 
Oise ies 3 ‘216 “784 
—10 South 204 “796 
—20 ,, ‘225 ‘775 
—30 ,, 200 *800 
—40 _,, ‘040 ‘960 
—50 =, 021 “979 



23. The numbers for the land are projected in Plate IIL., fig. 1, and the curve 
rudely drawn through them gives an approximation to a physical law of the dis- 
tribution of sea and land from latitude + 75° to latitude —50°, alittle beyond which 
occurs the only portion of the known globe where the entire circle of latitude 
passes through water, since farther south the antarctic land commences. On the 
other hand, the maximum proportion of land (about six-tenths of the circum- 
ference) occurs in the northern hemisphere, almost exactly upon the Arctic circle. 
§ IL. Hypothesis respecting the Law which Regulates the Temperature in 
Different Latitudes. 
24. From what has been said (par. 14) it will be understood that I regard the 
temperature of a given parallel as a function (1) of the latitude, (2) of the pro- 
portion of land and water in or about that parallel. Our object, therefore, is to 
find the form of the function. And if our proceedings shall appear to be in the 
first instance somewhat arbitrary, the reader is requested to suspend his 
judgment until he sees the independent confirmations which will be afterwards 
adduced. 
25. The following may be regarded as the more fundamental premises or 
postulates :— 
26. First, The law must be that of decreasing temperature throughout, from the 
equator towards the pole; and the arbitrary formula of par. 18, and the curve 
