Rio Janeiro | February |77·2|~25·1~| July |67·5|~19·7~ Joinville | February |75·5|~24·2~| July |61·5|~16·4~ Villa Formosa | January |79·2|~26·2~| July |61·3|~16·3~ ==================+==========+====+======+==========+====+====== In contrast with the fairly liberal rainfall of the east coast we find places almost as rainless as Waddy Halfa in the Soudan. Arequipa, _e.g._, though situated high up on the Andes, is nearly as dry as Lima, but receives a few trifling showers during the height of summer and autumn (January to March). AREQUIPA. LAT. 16° 24′ S.; LONG. 71° 30′ W. E.F., 7,680. =========+===========+========+========== Month | Mean |Relative| Monthly | Monthly |Humidity| Rainfall |Temperature| | +----+------+ +----+----- | F. | ~C.~ | |Ins.|~Mm.~ ---------+----+------+--------+----+----- January |56·5|~13·6~| 65 |1·08| ~27~ February |55·4|~13·0~| 69 |5·28|~134~ March |56·0|~13·3~| -- |0·84| ~21~ April |53·2|~11·8~| 71 |0 | ~0~ May |49·0| ~9·4~| -- |0 | ~0~ June |47·5| ~8·6~| 44 |0 | ~0~ July |51·0|~10·6~| 45 |0 | ~0~ August |53·0|~11·7~| 52 |0 | ~0~ September|56·0|~13·3~| 55 |0·03| ~1~ October |56·7|~13·7~| 59 |0 | ~0~ November |57·2|~14·0~| -- |0 | ~0~ December |56·8|~13·8~| 65 |0·03| ~1~ Year |54·2|~12·3~| 59 |7·28|~185~ =========+====+======+========+====+===== These Western figures must serve as a specimen, though only for a single year; for as already remarked, meteorology is but fitfully studied in South America. Many towns and districts, especially on the northern and eastern coasts, are at a considerable elevation above the sea, and in estimating the probable climate of such localities the following scale of diminution of mean temperature for height in the equatorial Andes may be of service:-- Elevation } Sea-level 1,500 4,500 7,000 10,000 13,000 17,000 20,000 in Feet } Temperature } 80° 77° 68° 59° 50° 40° 32° 20° F. } Or expressed in the metric system:-- Elevation } Sea-level 490 1,420 2,320 3,270 4,190 5,120 6,040 in Metres } Temperature } 27° 25° 20° 15° 10° 5° 0° -5° C. } The tables given on pages 92, 93, compiled from Hann’s “Klimatologie” include some of the better-known sites in South America, but it will be observed that we are wofully wanting in detailed information as to places in the interior, by far the majority being places on the coast. The small variation and remarkable uniformity of temperature in places spread over so large an area, when situated at all near the same level above the sea, is very remarkable, as also is the fact that nothing approaching the excessive temperature of Africa, the other great Southern Peninsula, is to be met with here.