EXTRACT FROM THE TABLES OF METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, MADE BY DR. GOURLAY, IN THE CITY OF FUNCHAL. THERMOMETER. 1801 Highest. Lowest. Medium. | Highest. Deg. Deg. Deg. Inches. BAROMETER. Lowest. Medium. Inches. Inches. Jan. 67 52 58 30 2 29 9 30 Wind.-E. NE. NW. N. SE.-most generally NE. 29 13 30 Feb. 65 52 58 30 2 Mar. 71 56 62 | 30 2 29 8 30 Wind.-E. to the 9th-NW. W. to the 15th-after wards E. and NE. April. 67 53 Wind.-N. NW. W. NE. SW.-most frequently NE. 30 May. 67 52 62 | 30 2/ 29 7 Wind.-N. SW. NW. W.-most generally N. and NE. June. 73 60 66 | 30 2 29 9 30 Wind.-NE. N. NW. SE. E.-most frequently N. and NE. July. 75 66 69 | 30 1 29 9 30 Wind. Twenty-one days NE. alternately-afterwards NW. and N. Aug. 79 67 64 30 1 29 7 30. Wind.-Variable from NE. N. E. SW. NW. to W. сс Wind. Most frequently NE. and N.-sometimes NW. Oct. 76 64 -once E. 29 9 30 72 | 30 1 29 9 30 Νου. 72 61 65 | 30 2 29 8 Dec. 70 1802 29 5 30 30 Jan. 65 51 58 | 30 3 Feb. 67 54 60 | 30 21 29 7 Wind. Variable from N. NE.-two days E. Mar. 72 - 30 29 8 30 55 59 | 30 2 Variable from NE. NW. NE. to Ē.- generally NE. 56 62 30 1 29 7 299 Wind.-NW. N. and NE. to the 18th. 30 11 29 812 30 Wind.-N. NW. and SE.-most generally NE. July. 73 30 11 64 69 | 30 2 30 1 Aug. 80 70 75 30 3 29 8층 301 Wind.-E. NE. SW.-most generally E. Sept. 84 Oct. 76 66 69 30 1 29 8/1/20 29 91 Wind.-E. NW. NE. N. SW. and W. alternately. 29 8 Nov 70 60 65 30 11 29 4 Dec. 63 52 57 30 1 29 6 29 81 Wind-N. S. NW. and NE.—most generally NE.* * The mean temperature of Funchal, according to Kirwan, is 68.9 of Fahrenheit, or 20.4 of the centigrade thermometer; but I am inclined to think from the eighteen years' observations of Dr. Gourlay, a resident in Madeira, that Kirwan's informants have led him to rate the mean nearly three degrees of Fahrenheit too high, as he did that of the equator. The difference in the mean temperature of several years scarcely ever exceeds 1° of Fahrenheit in Madeira; and the difference between the means of February and August, which may be considered as the extremes of heat and cold, averages 10o. Mr. Kirwan's result is as follows: Jan. 64°.18;-Feb. 64.3;-March, 65.8;-April, 65.5;-May, 66.53;-June, 69.74;-July, 73.45;-Aug. 75.02;-Sept. 75.76; -Oct. 72.5;-Nov. 69.08;-Dec. 65. In closing this string of unconnected and imperfect notices, the writer has only to express his own apprehension that many of them may be found liable to the reproach of considerable inaccuracy. Every one who has travelled will be aware of the difficulty there is, under such circumstances, of obtaining statements that can be entirely depended upon. To use the expression of Dr. Johnson in the same case, the answer to the second question is often such as nullifies that to the first. Some contradictions of this kind have occurred to the writer himself in revising his collection; but he is at present without either the means of reconciling or removing them: he gives, therefore, the whole as he received it, and with the less concern as to the responsibility so incurred, as his very mistakes, in provoking correction or criticism, may be the means of eliciting more accurate information. FINIS. Printed by R. GILBERT, St. John's-square, London. |