18 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
broken arcb extended through the constellations of Cyg>ms, Cassiopeia, Gemini, and 
Auriga, sometimes fainter, sometimes more fiery, especially in Cygnus. Very seldom 
the red color filled the space between the rosy spot below Ursa major and the upi^er 
arcb, and then only for a few seconds. At 11 p. m. the sky became so overcast as to 
cut off further observation. 
Corresponding observations made at St. Paul Island, Pribylof group, from 1872 to 
1883, and published by the United States Weather Bureau (Fur Seal Arb,, ii, App. 
pp. 591-593), afford means of exact comparison between the Pussian and the American 
seal islands, except as regards mean temperature, the latter being obtained on St. Paul 
from observations made at 7 a. m., 2 x>. m., and 9 p. m. 
But even a comparison of the mean temperature affords several very interesting 
results. Thus, while the annual means apparently differ but slightly, there is also the 
same relative j)rox)ortion between the various months from December to September. 
But while the figures representing the mean temperatures for these months are higher 
on Bering Island than on St. Paul, those of October and November are higlier on the 
latter. The chief exception from the relative proportion between the mouths is shown 
by the mean temperatures of August, which is about 4 degrees higher than July and 
September in Bering Island, but only about 2 degrees in St. Paul. 
Turning now to tlie maximum temperature, it will be seen to be G3° F. in Bering 
Island as against 62° on St. Paul. But on the other hand, while the minimum 
temperature in Bering Island was hardly ever below zero during the four years of 
observation, it often drops below that point in St. Paul. Thus, the difference between 
the summer and winter extremes is less on Bering Island than on St. Paul, 
Corning now to the question of cloudiness, it will be seen that while the annual 
percentage is almost identical, the monthly distribution is radically different. Thus, 
while in St. Paul Island there are five times as many clear days during November to 
Ajrril as during May to October, on Bering Island the i^roportion is reversed, there 
being four times as many clear days during the latter period as during the former. 
Of fair days, St. I^aul enjoys nearly twice as many during tlie above six winter months 
as during the six summer mouths, while Bering Island has a good many more fair 
days in summer than in winter. Consequently, the entirely overcast days preponder- 
ate on St. Paul iu summer, while on Bering Island their number is greater in winter. 
The latter island, moreover, has about 10 per cent more overcast days during the whole 
year, but on the contrary also about 10 per cent less overcast during the summer 
mouths, or during the time the seals remain on the islands. 
Unfortunately the percentage of relative h umidity is not given for St. Paul Island. 
A glance at the table for Bering Island will show how excessively humid the climate 
of the latter is, the annual means reaching 90 j)er cent, the monthly means occasion- 
ally exceeding 95 per cent, and never lower than 82 per cent. The mouths showing 
the greatest iiercentage of relative humidity are July and August, 
The Weather Bureau tables alluded to do not contain any data relating to^re- 
cipitation on St. Paul Island, and all the published information I have been able to 
find relates only to the months May to November.^ Compared with the corre- 
sponding tables for Bering Island, they show that the precipitation on the latter island 
is considerably smaller during that period than on St. Paul Island. 
' Fur Seal Arb., viii, pp. 518-519. 
