rivalled, has published some interesting remarks on the subject, in the last number of Silliman's Journal. In these remarks, Mr. Field expresses his conviction that the foot-tracks in question are of reptilian origin. Many of the supposed biped tracks are now shewn to have been made by quadrupeds; and in some instances, in which the animals appear to have sunk deeply in the yielding sediments, the impression caused by the tail is plainly visible in the form of a central groove.

EIGHTH SUPPLEMENT TO DANA'S MINERALOGY.

In the absence of Professor Dana, who is now in Italy, the usual semi-annual Report on the progress of Mineralogy has been well and carefully drawn up by Professor G. J. Brush. No very remarkable works have appeared since the date of the last Supplement, nor have any very important researches been published. Some of the more interesting, comprise: Rammelsberg's discovery of Magnesia in the Vesuvian Iron Ores, and the foundation of his new species, the Magnoferrite; the recognition of Tin Ore (Cassiterite) in specimens from Los Angelos, California, by Dr. C. T. Jackson; and the suggested Trimetric or Monoclinic crystallization of Tourmaline, by Jenzsch and Breithaupt. In connection with the subject of Mineralogy, we may mention with regret the recent death of the veteran professor, J. F. L. Hausmann, of Göttingen. Professor Hausmann died on the 26th of last December, at the advanced age of seventy-seven. E. J. C.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO METEOROLOGY,

Reduced from observations taken at St. Martin, Isle Jesus, C. E.

1

BY CHARLES SMALLWOOD, M. D., LL.D.,

Professor of Meteorology in the University of McGill College, Montreal.

These observations extend over the year 1859. The geographical co-ordinates are Latitude 45° 32′ North, Longitude 73° 36′ West, from Greenwich. The cisterns of the Barometers are 118 feet above the mean sea level. The results obtained are reduced from tri-daily observations taken at 6 A. M., 2 P. M., and 10 P. M. These periods divide the day into three equal parts of eight hours each. The self-registering principle is applied to many of the instruments, and the usual corrections are also applied for temperature and any peculiarity in their construction. The readings are frequently verified, so as far as possible to insure accuracy.

The

Atmospheric pressure.-The highest reading of the Barometer during the year, occurred at 4 P. M., on the 3rd of December, and indicated 30.726 inches, which is the highest reading on record here except one, which took place on the 8th of January, 1855, when the Mercurial column stood at 30.876 inches. The extreme height of December last, did not seem to extend very far East or West. highest reading at Toronto, kindly furnished me by Professor Kingston, was 30.392 inches, and at Quebec 30.563 inches. At Temple Grove, on the eastern slope of the Mountain, the residence of the Hon. Mr. Justice McCord, it attained a maximum of 30.865 inches, and these observations may be fully relied upon,

coming from Mr. McCord, the "Pioneer of Canadian Meteorology." This reading is the highest recorded by him. At Montreal, Dr. Hall gives the daily mean of the reading as 30.744 inches. At Point St. Charles, the highest reading was 30.771 inches. At Portland, Maine, Mr. Henry Willis gives the maximum reading of the day at 30.70 inches. The lowest reading was at 6 A. M., on the 19th of March, and indicated 28.620 inches. The readings at Portland on that day, are recorded as being also the minimum reading of the year. This circumstance of low reading has given the greatest monthly range of the year to March. August gives the lowest range of the year, viz., 0.530 inches. The mean Barometer pressure for the year was 29.821 inches, which exceeds by 0.008 of an inch only, the mean of last year. The mean height of the Barometer for the months were as follows:

The greatest range within twenty-four hours, with a rising column, occurred on the 2nd and 3rd of December, and rose from 30.062 to 30.661 inches, equal to a rise of 0.599 of au inch, and the greatest range with a falling column, was on the 18th and 19th March, and which fell from 29.650 inches to 28.620 inches, equal to 1.030 inches of variation; a sudden rise also occurred on the 14th September from 8 A. M. till 1 P. M., and indicated 0.251 of an inch of rise in three hours.

Temperature of the Atmosphere.-The mean temperature of the year was 40°73 F., which is 0o69 of a degree higher than the mean of last year (1858,) and indicates 0983 of a degree lower than the mean of a series of years. This is owing to the low temperature of January and of December. The mean temperature of the months is as follows:

December is the coldest December on record here by 4°83 degrees, compared with a series of years. February of last year (1858) was the coldest February on record here, the mean temperature being 7956. July, which for a series of years has indicated the highest mean temperature, was 1.14 degrees lower than the month of August. This was owing to the heavy rain storms of July. June of 1858 was the warmest month of that year-the highest reading of the Thermometer for this year was on the 17th of May, and indicated 99.2 degrees, which is the highest reading of the Thermometer for the month of May on record. The highest

reading for a series of years has been in July; and February, for a corresponding number of years, has indicated the lowest reading, but December of this year (1859) shows a minimum of 4.88 degrees compared with a series of years, and January 2.36 degrees below the average or mean of a like series of years. The lowest reading of the year was on the 10th of January, and at 6 A. M. indicated -4396 (below zero,) a degree of cold almost unprecedented in the annals of Canadian Meteorology, the cold term showed .124 hours 30 minutes, during which the Thermometer was below zero. Mercury froze in open vessels-the mean temperature of the 9th day was -2798, of the 10th -29°0, and of the 12th -282. This cold term was felt generally throughout Canada and the Eastern States, and travelled from the west, eastward. At Rochester, which is 4° 15' West of this Observatory, and 398 feet higher above sea level, the extreme cold was felt some hours earlier than at this place. At New York the temperature was -990; at Boston, -1498; at Toronto, —26°5; at Quebec, —40°8; at Huntingdon, —44°0, and Mercury was said to have become quite hard in fifteen minutes, when exposed in a saucer. The great absolute range or climatic difference for the year, was 142.8 degrees, and the monthly range of temperature (or climatic difference) was as follows:

The mean temperature of the Winter Quarter was 12096, of the Spring Quarter 42°66, of the Summer Quarter 66°10, and of the Autumn Quarter 42o03.

Frost occurred in every month of the year. The Thermometer, sunk eighteen inches in the ground, indicated in May a temperature of 58°, in June 66°10, in July 76°2, and in August 78°0.

Humidity of the Atmosphere.-The mean relative, amount of Humidity for the year (saturation being 1.000) was .768, which was .010 less than the mean of last year. The mean Humidity for the months was as follows:

July was the driest month, and this is borne out by the observations of a series of years; complete saturation was not observed during the year.

Rain fell on 98 days, amounting to 49.741 inches; it was raining 527 hours 20 minutes, and was accompanied by thunder on 20 days. The amount of rain which fell indicated 0.294 of an inch less than the amount of last year, but exceeded by 6.736 inches the mean amount of a series of years, and the number of days upon which rain fell exceeded by twenty-five the average amount of a like number of years. The greatest amount fell in September, on the 11th day, from 3 h. 40 min. P. M., to 4 h. 24 min. P. M., making one hour and forty-four minutes of time, there fell 1.670 inches of rain; and on the 4th of August, in two hours of time, there fell 2.000 inches of rain,

Snow fell on 58 days, amounting to 94.68 inches; it was snowing 440 hours, 40 minutes. This shows an increase of 35-69 inches over the amount which fell last year, but the amount is nearly equal to the average of a series of years. February and December, are the months which give the greatest amount of snow The first snow of the winter of 1858-9, fell on the 4th of November-the last snow of spring fell on the 23rd of April.

Evaporation. The amount of evaporation from the surface of water, during the six months for which observations are recorded (owing to frost,) was 15.29 inches. This is considerably below the average or mean of a series of years. The evaporation from the surface of ice exceeded the usual amount.

Wind. The most prevalent wind was the N. E. by E., and the least prevalent the South. The aggregate horizontal movement in miles for the year, was 59224.60 miles, which exceeds by 17886.00 miles the amount of last year. The mean annual velocity was 6.19 miles per hour, which is 1.58 miles per hour more than the mean velocity of last year. The following is the monthly horizontal movement in miles:

March was the most windy month, and July the calmest. The greatest velocity observed was 37.20 miles per hour.

The greatest Intensity of the Sun's Rays was in August, and indicated 110.8 degrees. The lowest point of Terrestrial Radiation was in January, and was -43°6 (below zero.)

Clouds. There were 56 days cloudless, and 129 nights suitable for Astronomical purposes.

Dew.-The yearly amount of Dew was below the usual mean or average.

The Aurora Borealis was visible at observation house on 36 nights. A very brilliant display occurred on the 28th of August, observed in Canada, the West Indies, and Europe.

The Zodiacal Light was bright and well defined,

Lunar Haloes visible on seven nights.

Parhelias were visible on five days.

The winter of 1859-60 fairly set in on the 22nd of November.

Ozone.-The mean annual of Ozone has shewn about the usual average quantity.

Atmospheric Electricity.-The tri-daily observations are still continued in this important branch of science, but are far too extended for a short notice. The Eclipse of the Sun was visible on the 19th of July.

Crows (Corvus corone) first seen 8th of March. The Song Sparrow (Fringilla melodia,) first heard 14th of March; Wild Ducks (Anser Canadensis,) first seen flying south, 18th March; Swallows (Hirudo rufa) first seen 19th April; Frogs (Rana fontinalis) first heard 16th of April; Shad (Alosa prostabilis) first caught 23rd May; Fire Flies (Lampyris corusca) first seen 24th May; Snow

Birds (Plectrophanes nivalis) first seen 10th of November-Crows did not winter here.

Plum tree in flower 11th of May; Lilac in full leaf 14th of May; Dandelion in flower 12th May; Wild Strawberry in flower 25th May, matured 24th June; Gooseberry in leaf 8th May; Currant in leaf 18th May.

The potato rot, which was but partial this year, commenced on the 8th of August. St. Martin's, Isle Jesus, 1st Feb., 1860.

CANADIAN

INSTITUTE.

SESSION 1859-60.

EIGHTH ORDINARY MEETING-11th February, 1860.
Prof. WILSON, LL.D., President, in the Chair.
I. The following Gentlemen were elected Members:
CHARLES M. FULLER, Esq., Lithographer, Toronto.
S. H. STRONG, Esq., Barrister, Toronto.

WILLIAM CANNIFF, M.D., M.R.C.S., Toronto.

THOMAS GRIFFITH, Junr., Toronto (Junior Member.)

II. The following Papers were read:

1. By the Rev. Prof. W. Hincks, F.L.S.:

"On some Questions in relation to the theory of the structure of Plants of the Orders Brassicaceae and Primulaceæ."

2. By Prof. Kingston, M. A.:

"On the Meteorological Phenomena of 1859."

NINTH ORDINARY MEETING-18th February, 1860.

Prof. WILSON, LL.D., President, in the Chair.

I. The following Gentleman was elected a Member :
CALEB E. ENGLISH, M.A., Barrister, Toronto.

II. The following donations for the Library were announced, and the thanks of

the Institute voted to the donors:

Books marked with an asterisk (*) are in parts or unbound.

From the GEOGRAPHICAL AND STATISTICAL SOCIETY, New York:

Bulletin of the Society. Vol. I. 3 Nos.