GLACIOLOGY OF THE SOUTH ORKNEYS. 



835 



reaching Scotia Bay. The descending current, warmed dynamically by compression, 

 may produce as high a temperature in midwinter as in midsummer. Thus on 31st 

 May 1903 the shade temperature at 1*15 p.m. rose to 46°"8 F. 



Sunshine. 





Total Hours 



Per cent, of 



Days with 





Eecorded. 



Possible. 



None. 



1903. 









May 



26-7 



17 



19 



June 











3-7 



4 



22 



July . 











12-8 



8 



22 



August . 











35-7 



14 



21 



September 











75-5 



25 



13 



October 











58-5 



16 



8 



November 











89-4 



21 



7 



December 











73-3 



15 



5 



1904. 









January .... 



49-0 



10 



14 



February .... 



45-7 



13 



11 



March .... 



20-4 



7 



14 



April ..... 



25-8 



11 



15 





Yeai 









516-5 



14 



171 



Precipitation. 



" The measurement of the precipitation proved to be impossible owing to the 

 frequency of drift which prevailed throughout the greater part of the year. Except 

 in summer, when the downfall was in the form of rain, the gaugings are unsatisfactory. 

 Nevertheless, one is able to say that in spite of the general humidity of the atmosphere 

 and the frequency of snow, the precipitation is small. The actual results for the 

 eighteen months ending with December 1904 show a downfall equivalent to 10 '50 

 inches of rain per annum, but I incline to the belief that from 15 to 17 inches would 

 more nearly represent the actual amount, as much is lost when the snow is drifting. 

 The greatest quantity falls in summer, and is equivalent to nearly 40 per cent, of 

 the annual quantity. Daily falls exceeding half an inch are very rare, there being 

 only two such during the period under review. 



" The following table shows the number of hours of precipitation in each month ; 

 the last column gives the number of days on which snow, sleet, hail, or rain fell, and 

 the number of times the snow was drifting is added for comparison " : — 



