IIQ PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA 



Gosse, London, 1860, 1 vol., 8vo. Also, from the authors, Report 

 of Chief of Engbeers, U. S. A., Wash., 1868, 1 vol., 8vo.; Trans- 

 Atlantic Longitude, B. A. Gould, Wash., National Observat., 1869, 

 1 vol., 4to.; Supplementary Index to vols. I. to XII. of Obs. on 

 Unio, etc., I. Lea, L. L. D., Philad, 1869., pam. 4to. 



Mr. Easton gave a verbal account of his theory as to the structure 

 of the coast mountains, supposing that beds of coal exist in them at 

 nearly regular intervals between the spurs running into the ocean, 

 and that this formation extends to the Isthmus, where the lateral 

 valleys form natural passages for ship canals across from ocean to 



ocean. 



Prof. Whitney read a paper on the Northern drift formation, in- 

 tended for publication in an Eastern journal. 



Regular Meeting, March 7th, 1870. 

 President in the Chair. 



Donations to the Cabinet : Mr. A. H. Titcomb presented two 

 specimens, supposed to be the globes of human eyes dried into hard 

 balls, taken from the graves of Chilian aborigines that were opened 

 by the great earthquake two years ago. These on examination 

 proved to be vegetable productions. 



Dr. Blake read the following remarks on the climate of California. 



Remarks on the Climate of California. 



BY JAMES BLAKE, M. D. 



In offering a few observations on the general features of the climate of Cali- 

 fornia, I am aware that up to the present time materials have not been collected 

 to enable us to take in the atmostpheric changes that take place on this coast, in 

 one comprehensive survey. The absence of any extended system of meteorolog- 

 ical observations in this State will prevent my doing more than tracing what I 

 consider to be the broader outlines of the peculiarities of our climate, and I trust 

 I shall be able to point out, on the one hand, the laws on which they depend, 

 and also the support they afford to certain theoretical considerations which still 

 require further evidence for their acceptance. There can be no doubt but that 

 our geographical position and the configuration of our country render this part 

 of the globe one of the most important fields for meteorological observations, 

 and I trust before long that we shall be able to organize a comprehensive plan 

 for carrying them out throughout the State and in the adjoining States and ter- 

 ritories. Before proceeding to the immediate object of ray communication, it 



