Lord Howe Island — PARAMONOV 
87 
Temperature, judged by both season and 
direction of wind, varies in a regular manner. 
The maximum temperature recorded was 30° 
C., on 8 February, 1912; the minimum, 6.1° 
C, on 30 August, 1911. 
Rainfall is distributed fairly evenly through- 
out the year, though the average for the 
winter months is higher than that of the 
summer months. The average annual rainfall 
for 12 years is 1,818 mm., on 196 days. During 
the period selected for analysis, out of a total 
of 1,265 mm., 779 mm., or over 60 per cent, 
fell during northerly weather. 
SOILS 
The island consists practically of but two 
geological formations: a basaltic series form- 
ing about two-thirds of the island, and a 
thin-bedded calcareous deposit composed of 
coral sand, covering the lower ground and 
flanking the three isolated volcanic masses. 
This coral-sand rock consists of commi- 
nuted and completely rounded coral debris, 
with grains of volcanic material such as augite, 
magnatite, and altered lava, with occasional 
fragments of echinoderms, shells, foramini- 
fera, and other invertebrates. Generally speak- 
ing, the constituents of the coral-sand rock 
agree very closely with the component par- 
ticles of the present beach at the island. It 
varies in thickness, and its greatest elevation 
is about 250 feet above sea level. 
In such way the island is composed of two 
distinct types of rock, the older or base being 
of volcanic origin, and the upper of decom- 
posed coral formed into a coarse sort of sand- 
stone. 
A noticeable feature of the coral rock is the 
stratification in layers; most of the layers are 
inclined at an angle of about 30 degrees. This 
lifting was thought to be caused by earth 
Fig. 4. Inhabitated area of the island, "The Old Settlement.’’ Large trees are araucarias, introduced from Norfolk 
Island. In mid-photo are the dominating Howea palms. A line of surf marks the boundary of the coral reef. Rabbit 
Island in background. Photo by Miss Z. Liepa. 
