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 meteorology] AFRICA 129 as to the possibility of the acclimatization of white men in variations at an inland station, at a considerable altitude and Africa, some holding that acclimatization can only be the farther removed from the equator. The high rainfall is due result of a gradual process extending through many to the influence of the mountains ; but though no month is really generations, while others believe that with improved dry, the bulk of the rain falls between December and April knowledge the diseases of Africa and other tropical Observations for 1897 at Kibwezi, an inland station in the drier Lauderdale, Mt. Mlanji, Nyasaland. countries can be successfully dealt with. (On this subject Lat. 16° 2' S. Long. 35° 36' E. Alt. 2850 feet. see article by Dr Sambon in Geographical Journal, vol. (Average for years 1894-98). xii. p. 589.) It is believed by the latter school that the malarial germs are propagated by the agency of mosquitos Relative Humidity and during 1899 the discovery of the particular species to %• which infection is due in West Africa was claimed to be made £ & II 6 A.M. 2 P.M. Meteoro* Major Ross. Hopes are entertained that suit(1895-8). logicai able measures may lead to its destruction. ins. January 72-6 13-8 90 81 21-04 26 tions. . bHumg the last decade of the 19th century a great February 72impetus was given to the record of meteorological 13-9 89 82 20-98 25 March data at stations m Central Africa, and our scanty knowledge with 71-9 13-9 93 83 12-60 24 April respect to that region has already received important additions, 69-5 1390 79 15-40 21 May the following tables summarize some of the latest results 66-2 1487 74 513 June 63-2 13-4 81 68 4-34 13 Government Station, Cameroon.1 July 62-8 1569 3-25 10 Lat. 4° 2' IST. Long. 9° 42' E. Alt. 40 feet. August 647 18-8 74 2-59 7 September 71-1 2174 55 (Average for years 1894-98). 26 October 74-5 24-9 74 54 36 November 76-9 2284 58 611 Relative December 7316Humidity 92 80 18-85 22 c%• 2® Year 699 169 85 71 116-48 ! 184 7 A.M. 2 P.M parts of British East Africa (2° 25' S.), at an elevation of 2990 feet, show a stdl greater daily range of temperature, the mean for the year January 29-815 79-9 12-2 95 74 •69 being 28-5 4 . The mean temperature for the year was 72 -5°, and the February •812 79-9 1295 72 2-95 rainfall (occurring chiefly in two rainy seasons, separated by a March •796 79-2 12-8 95 75 8-45 short relatively dry interval) 21 -51 inches. At Machakos, a station April. •819 79-2 131 93 76 8-00 on the higher plateau (5400 feet), the mean temperature for 1894 May. •862 78-4 12-4 95 77 11-72 was 66-2 3 (highest month 70-2, lowest 61-4), while a four years' June. •941 76-8 1096 82 21-54 average of9 the rainfall gives 30 ‘98 inches. July. •957 74-5 797 87 23-47 i he vegetation of Africa follows very closely the distribution of August •941 745 86 96 85 38-38 heat and moisture. The northern and southern temperate zones September •914 756 9-9 96 84 19-79 have a flora distinct from that of the continent generOctober •884 763 10-6 96 83 14-45 ally, the north corresponding with south Europe in Flora. November •819 783 112 95 80 6-58 this respect.. The zones of minimum rainfall have a very scanty December •846 790 11-3 95 79 2-44 flora, consisting of plants specialized to resist the great dryness, ihe more humid regions have a richer vegetation—dense forest Year 29867 77 6 11 1 96 79 158-46 |198 where the rainfall is greatest and variations of temperature least, conditions found chiefly on the tropical coasts and in the west Mombasa. African equatorial basin; and savanna interspersed with trees on Lat. 4° 4' S. Long. 39° 42' E. Alt. 60 feet. the greater part of the plateaux, passing as the desert regions are approached into a scrub vegetation consisting of thorny acacias, (Average for years 1894-98). &c. Forests also occur on the humid slopes of mountain ranges O up to a certain elevation. The dense forests of West Africa contain, '§ £ § m addition to a great variety of dicotyledonous trees, two palms g =5 ^S3 p-Q3 the Llaeis Guineensis and Haphia vinifera, not found, generally o =2 §s 33 S o> speaking, in the savanna regions. In the latter, the most characteristic trees are the baobab (Adansonia digitata), Hyphiene palm and Euphorbias. The higher mountains have a special flora showins. ins. % ing close agreement over wide intervals of space, as well as affinities January 29-862 80-1 7-7 87 •39 2 with the mountain flora of the Eastern Mediterranean, the Hima February •847 807-5 81 •71 2 layas, 9 and Indo-China {cf. A. Engler, Ueber die8 Hochqebirgsflora March, •816 82-1 7-7 81 15 des tropischen Afrika, 1892). April •838 814 7-0 82 5-01 9 The fauna again 9 shows the effect of the characteristics of the May •899 80-1 687 12-58 13 vegetation. The open savannas are the home of6 large ungulates June •925 78-5 784 1 25 especially antelopes, the giraffe (peculiar to Africa), ° ’ July •981 77-5 7-6 83 27 6 and four species of rhinoceros ; and of carnivores, such Fauna. August •980 778 7-1 83 1-76 6 as the5 lion, leopard, hyaena, &c. The elephant (though its range September •971 786-9 84 30 8 has become restricted through the attacks of hunters) is found both October •914 790 6-7 84 19 5 m the 5 savannas and7 forest regions, the latter being poor in large November •885 79682 8-19 9 game, 1 though the special habitat of the chimpanzee and gorilla December •842 8076 83 23 Ihe camel—as a domestic animal—is especially2 characteristic of 110 1 ern Year 29 897 796 72 f ^i 1 averts and steppes, while the ostrich thrives in most 83 43-12 73 of the drier regions. The rivers in the tropical zone abound with The first of these tables gives the climatological phenomena at hippopotami and crocodiles, the former entirely confined to Africa, lerds 0 am a station in the humid and equable region of the west coast. e, formerly so characteristic of many parts 1 he dry season is reduced to a minimum, occurring at the time when ° rvi,*/•r]fa’ •1! )lvc. mucSi diminished increasebeen of established intercourse with the interior. Game reserves with have,the however, the sun is at its greatest southward declination. The relative humidity is high and the temperature shows small seasonal varia- in South Africa, British Central Africa, British East Africa (2), tions. The second table, relating to a station on the east Somaliland, &c., while measures for the protection of wild animals coas, likewise shows small variations of temperature, but were laid down in an international convention signed in May 1900. Of practical questions relating to the African fauna, one of the a relatively small rainfall, divided chiefly between two dismc rainy seasons. The third, the much greater temperature Ti+v imPortan]: 18 that of the domestication of the African elephant. • ^ ough rareln(1 1 y used in modern times in any of the various ways This table is based on observations recorded in the Mitteilungen that the African a ^ species ian species madeinofancient service times. to man, Ait successful is known was istamed ous den Deutschen Schutzgebieten ; the two following on those published experiment in this direction has lately been made in French Congo, by the British Association Committee. w 1161,6 a y°ung African elephant has been used at the Fernan YaZ S. I — 17