CHAPTER I. THE CLIMATE OF AUSTRALIA. Their semi-tropical climate

hitherto unrecognised by the people of Australia--Reasons advanced for this statement; early gold-mining era influences still at work, and Anglo-Saxon heredities--Hot months and cooler months; temperatures of the Australian capital cities--Fluctuations of temperature and barometric pressure not extreme--Equability of Australian climate a marked feature--Not many successive days of great heat--Humidity of atmosphere in different colonies--A dry heat always preferable to a moist heat--Duration of the different seasons, and months apportioned to each season--Prevailing winds, and ROLE of hot winds