GENERAL FEATURES OF POLYNESIAN REALM IN RELATION TO DISTRIBUTION. 19 
upon the mountains at different altitudes, so that simultaneous readings could be 
obtained, but it is difficult to do this without the expenditure of a disproportionate 
amount of time and energy. Certain data have been obtained, however, that show 
the general relation borne by other coastal points and by higher regions to the 
basic figures of Papeete. 
TaBLe 4.—Temperature records at Papeete, Tahiti. 
Average | Average 
1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 Ros sear or Sea. 
XC, XG XG Ne XC ces NN, 
Mean temperature....... 25.9 26.2 26.9 2S 25.3 25.9 78.6 
Mean of maxima........ 31.5 33.3 32.7 30.5 30.6 31.7 89.0 
Mean of minima........ 20.3 19.2 PR il 20.1 21.2 20.4 68.7 
Mean oscillation.........| 11.2 14.1 11.6 10.4 9.4 lil 33 20.3 
Absolute maximum...... 34.2 35.5 36.5 34.0 34.0 34.8 94.6 
Absolute minimum...... 17.0 16.5 17.0 16.0 18.0 16.9 62.4 
Absolute range.......... 7/52} 19.0 19.5 18.0 16.0 17.9 32.2 
TaBLeE 5.—Monthly variations of temperature at Papeete, Tahiti (degrees centigrade). 
Mean of Maxima. Mean of Minima. Mean. 
Mean Mean Mean 
1901 | 1902 | 1903 | 1904| 1905 | for 5 | 1901 | 1902 | 1903 | 1904 | 1905 | for 5 | 1901 | 1902 | 1903 | 1904} 1905 | for 5 
years. years. years. 
January...| 30.29| 34.0) 35.2 | 31.5| 31.4) 32.5 | 20.3 | 20.0} 22.8) 20.8} 22.1} 21.2] 25.3| 27.0 
February. .| 31.35 | 34.0} 35.3 | 32.2} 31.7) 32.9| 21.7 | 21.0} 22.2) 20.9| 22.1) 21.6] 26.5 | 27.5 
March....| 31.20) 33.0] 34.4] 31.9] 31.2 | 32.3] 21.2 | 21.0] 22.1] 20.7| 21.7| 21.3 26.2| 27.0 
NetboGooc 31.84 | 34.0) 33.3 | 31.8] 31.8) 32.5| 21.5 |) 20.0) 21.5) 21.2 | 21.2} 21.1] 26.6| 27.0 
May...... 32.61 | 34.0 | 32.9| 31.6] 30.1 | 32.2) 19.0 | 18.0} 21.8] 19.8) 20.0} 19.7] 25.8} 26.0 
YGWE oo oc0c 32.86 | 32.0} 32.9| 30.8} 30.1} 31.7 | 18.7 | 16.0} 20.1} 19.6} 20.1| 18.9) 25.7] 24.4 
WEEP co conc 30.13 | 33.0 | 31.8 | 29.7} 29.5 | 30.8] 18.9} 17.0} 19.9) 18.4) 20.0] 18.8) 24.5] 25.0 
August... .| 31.20) 33.0] 30.5| 28.3) 29.1] 30.4] 19.3] 17.0| 20.1] 18.8] 19.7] 19.0) 25.2] 25.0 
September .| 32.80) 34.0| 31.3) 27.9| 29.9} 31.2] 19.9} 17.0) 20.0} 18.9} 21.9} 19.5] 26.3] 25.5 
October ...| 31.20 | 34.0] 31.7| 29.7} 30.1] 31.3) 21.6 | 19.0) 20.4] 19.8} 22.0) 20.5] 26.4] 26.5 
November.} 31.90} 28.8} 31.3) 30.3} 31.1) 30.7 | 21.5 | 23.0} 21.3 | 20.8) 21.7| 21.6] 26.7| 25.9 
December .| 30.90 | 35.5 | 31.6} 30.8) 31.6) 32.1] 19.6 | 28.0} 21.4] 21.4) 22.2} 22.5| 25.2} 28.7 
Average.| 31.52 | 33.3) 32.7 | 30.5 | 30.6} 31.7] 20.3 | 19.2 | 21.1] 20.1] 21.2} 20.4) 25.9) 26.2) 26.9] 25.3] 25.3| 25.9 
Using maximum and minimum thermometers, it has been found that the diurnal 
variation for points on the west and south coasts is the same as for Papeete, and 
that as one passes from the leeward side to points less protected by the mountains 
the readings are slightly lower than at Papeete. For example, at Papara on the 
south coast, the maxima and minima were about 2° C. lower than for the same 
periods at Papeete. Seldom did the differences exceed 3° C. or fall below 1° C. 
Of much more importance, as will appear in the later sections, were the differ- 
ences observed in the case of higher levels. Nearly all those naturalists who have 
crossed the island unite in testifying to the cool or even cold night airs in the moun- 
tains. In the Challenger Reports, for example, the readings noted at the “head of 
Fautaua Valley” were as follows: 
NOp 
val fphounibeforeysunset sem ews eye trite tet er Pes. Fane aie ce eens 23.9 
NEWNOUTPLA CELA RHR eT Ren eT Ua ee ame OOO nee a an PA RNID Ce aN TES 20.2 
Mid nicl teapne tiynst depreciate crencren ini cid eves cme oma ee aria dete 17.2 
Day breaker peyerra ns mete Cth my in Meee eae Gar tape Atay nuene Gant ik 15.8 
