+------------------------------------------------+ |Course.| 1804. | 1811. | 1812. | 1813. | Total. | |------------------------------------------------| | N. | 143 | 105 | 90 | 111 | 449 | | N. E. | 99 | 207 | 138 | 138 | 582 | | E. | 33 | 18 | 22 | 23 | 96 | | S. E. | 131 | 108 | 135 | 110 | 484 | | S. | 58 | 69 | 113 | 80 | 320 | | S. W. | 224 | 255 | 153 | 261 | 893 | | W. | 81 | 69 | 102 | 57 | 309 | | N. W. | 329 | 264 | 345 | 315 | 1253 | +------------------------------------------------+ This work of Mr. Coffin has been brought to my notice since the foregoing pages were written. The facts embodied in it will be found to comport with what I have observed and stated. In relation to the proportionate number of days in the year during which the wind blows from the different points of the compass at the several stations it is very full and able. But it has cardinal defects. It does not show the _main currents_ of the atmosphere. It treats the surface-winds, which are incidental, as principals. The direction of the main currents is indeed shown frequently by the mean course of the surface winds, but not uniformly or intelligibly. Nor does it distinguish between the fair weather and storm winds; nor always between the trade winds during their northern transit, and the variable winds north of the trade-wind region. Hence, the deductions derived from it disclose no general system, and sustain no theory, although many very important facts appear. Some of these, Professor Coffin found it difficult to reconcile with received theories, or satisfactorily explain. For instance, he found the prevailing winds of the United States, in Louisiana and Texas, S. and S. E.; in western Arkansas, and Missouri, southerly, and in Iowa and Wisconsin, S. W., forming a curve, and evidently connected together. Thus, alluding to the winds west of the Mississippi, and between the parallels of 36 deg. and 60 deg., he says: