1881 Wind Chart of the North Atlantic
"Atlantique Nord. Cartes de la Direction des Vents"
Engraved map with hand-coloring in the area of the Grand Banks, 1881, compiled by Léon Brault, on laid paper, with central vertical fold as issued; laid down to a sheet of Japan paper
Neatline 17 3/8 x 24 1/2 inches
Sheet 20 7/8 x 28 1/2 inches
As described in detail in the key to the right, "Each shaded polygon on this map represents the frequency of different winds in the square where it is found...The uniform tint of the polygons was only used to better show the general movement of the winds...The small circles in the middle, which can be seen at the center of each square, show the number of observations that were collected in this square...[and] The lengths of the arrows are proportional to the frequency of the winds they represent." This map is an interesting variation of the wind charts first introduced, as an aide to mariners, in the 1850s by Matthew Fontaine Maury.
