36 
latroduction: Seasons and Winds. 
S. E. Monsoon of June — September, while Constantinhafen lies sheltered from 
wind and rain by the mountains, Avhich also, with some other nearer hills, 
protect Hatzfeldhafen. During the N. W. Monsoon the case is reversed, Finsch- 
hafen is now sheltered by the Finisterre Mts., and the other two exposed to 
the wind. Consequently Finschhafen has its fine season with this, the N. iV. 
Monsoon, and its rainy season with the S. E. Monsoon, while at Constantin- and 
Hatzfeldhafen exactly the opposite takes place. The total rainfall for the year 
being given as 100, the following shows the percentage of rain when the different 
Monsoons are in force: 
Dec.— April 1886/87 
Dec. — April 1887/88 
June — Sept. 1886 
June — Sept. 1887 
Finschhafen. Constantinhafen. Hatzfeldhafen. 
17 ^ 58 ^ 62 ^ 
18 ^ 69 ^ 68 ^ 
58 ^ — 11 ^ 
62 ^ 18 ^ 17 ^ 
These results held good for the subsequent rejoorts in 1888 and 1890. (Nach- 
richten iiber Kaiser Milhelms-Land, 1888, 160). 
In South-eastern New Guinea Capt. Moresby states that “the N.W. Monsoon 
blows from November till March, accompanied with occasional westerly gales, 
and with fine-Aveather intervals”. D’Albertis says that a S.E. wdnd blows at 
Yule Island for 8 months and confirms Moresby’s remarks in stating that the 
rainy months are November — February (N. G. 1880, I, 402). The same traveller 
found that heavy rains fall in the valley of the Fly River from December to 
April. In the dry and cooler season May — August the max. heat was 29.5^ C., 
and during the hotter months rarely rose to 35® C. 
Solomon Islands. — This group is subject to variable winds, violent squalls, 
and heavy rainfall. The N.E. Monsoon from the end of November to the end 
of March is considered to be the rainy season. Heavy gales from the west 
and north-west are not infrequent at this period. The S.E. Trade-wind from 
April to November seems to blow in fits and starts, inteiTupted by calms, 
variable winds, and often heavy squalls and much rain. The -temperature varies 
little: 75“ F. at night to 90“ — 95“ F. at noon (Deeper, J. R. Met. Soc. 1885, 
309—313). 
Northern Australia. — Here the N.W. Monsoon brings the rains, and the 
S.E. Monsoon, blowing out of the interior, is of course very dry. 
This rough sketch of the winds and rainfall in the East Indian Archipelago 
may, it is hoped, prove to be not without use in the study of the climatic 
variation of birds, of their local movements, their nidification and moulting. 
The Avinds and rains and temperature are also factors which should be taken 
into consideration in questions concerning the geographical distribution of birds. 
