FREQUENCY OF HIGH WINDS 
467 
Framheim, the winter quarters of Captain Amundsen's 
Expedition. The results are shown in the third column 
of Table I, and arc plotted by a broken curve in Fig. i. 
It will at once be seen that the result is entirely different 
from that obtained for Yarmouth. At Framheim calms 
were of frequent occurrence and the wind blew at 
4 miles an hour or less during 42 per cent, of the total 
time. From this high percentage of calms winds of 
higher velocity fell off rapidly and regularly. It is im- 
portant to notice that the shape of the curve for Fram- 
heim is similar to tJiat of the curve for Yarmouth from 
its highest point to its end. This sliape is frequently 
met with in scientific work, and indicates that the change 
from maximum to minimum is regular without any 
outside factor influencing the natural change from stage 
to stage. It is the shape of the ' probability curve,' 
that is, the curve which indicates the probability tJiat 
anything will occur when it departs from a most probable 
value. The wind conditions shown in the Framheim 
curve are the ideal ones for Polar work, for the most 
probable wind is a calm, and the frequency with which 
higher velocities occur decreases rapidly and regularly as 
the velocities increase. 
We will now turn to the results of a similar analysis 
for the winds recorded at Cape Evans. Column 4 of 
Table I contains the data, and tliey are plotted on the 
thick curve of Fig. I. Here we have a curve whicli 
commences in a manner similar to that of Framheim : 
the most frequent winds are those with a velocity of 
less than 4 miles an hour, and higher winds are less 
2 H 2 
