502 
the period from the month of May to end of December 1865 the 
rainfall at the W est ( 'oast was more than five times as great as 
at the East Coast, amounting at Hokitika to 96,136 inches, and 
at Christchurch only 17,395. In the southwestern part of the island 
Dr. Hector, in 1863, during a period of seven months from the 
first of June to end of December had observed 87 inches, whilst in 
Dunedin the rainfall was only 23% inches. Thus, it is obvious, 
as the perpetual snow-line, owing to the equable and humid climate, 
is at the West Coast very low, probably about 6500 feet near 
Mount Cook, and as the fall of snow and condensation of moisture 
must still be greater in those higher regions, where the equatorial 
currents come in contact with the cold surfaces of the Alps, that 
all necessary conditions exist not only for the formation of large 
glaciers , but also for their descent to much lower regions than at 
the East Coast , where the line of perpetual snow in a latitude from 
4r3 to 44 degrees probably only reaches 7500 feet. The difference 
between the eastern and western side of the central chain is well 
exhibited by the great Tasman glacier, which, although of much 
larger dimensions than the Francis Joseph glacier, yet descends 
only to 2774 feet above the sea-level, whilst the latter reaches more 
than 2000 feet lower, namely to 705 feet above the sea. It is 
true that particular circumstances , as , for instance , a large caul- 
dron-like basin , sheltered from the sun’s rays by Mount de la Beche 
and its out- running spurs, in which these enormous snow -masses 
can accumulate , are very favourable for allowing the glaciers to des- 
cend to such a low position above the sea level , where arborescent 
ferns, pines, and other low-land trees are growing. But if we com- 
pare its position with others in South America, whe shall find that, 
from ranges which are not so elevated as the Southern Alps, even 
in latitudes corresponding with the northern end of Stewart’s Is- 
1865 at Hokitika at Christchurch 
August . . . 7,890 inches 0,838 inches 
September . . 14,471 „ 2,347 „ 
October. . . 11,172 ,, 2,201 „ 
November . . 12,426 ,, 1,024 „ 
December . . 14,085 „ 0,674 „ 
