128 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA 



Donations to tlie Cabinet : Dr. Cooper presented a specimen of 

 metamorphic sandstone, containing alumina and other mineral 

 substances, found near the city. 



Mr. Hanks exhibited specimens of the fossil trees recently dis- 

 covered near Calistoga. The specimens were pronounced to be 

 silicified wood, beyond doubt. 



Donations to the Library: Address delivered at the Centennial 

 Anniversary of the birth of Humboldt, by Prof. Agassiz, Boston, 

 1869, 8vo. Mem. de 1' Acad. Imper. des Sciences Naturclles de 

 Cherbourg, XHI. and XIV., 1868, 2 vols., 8vo. 



Dr. Blake read the following paper upon a series of observations 

 made by Capt, Doane, of the U. S. Mail Steamship China, during 

 six consecutive voyages to Japan, upon the meteorology of the 

 Pacific Ocean, from November, 1869, to July, 1870. These ob- 

 servations were of a very interesting character, and tended to con- 

 firm the views previously expressed by Dr. Blake, that there exist 

 broad belts of climatic extremes, extending over the Pacific Ocean, 

 and that these extraordinary variations occurred at the same time 

 that the entire continent of Europe and western part of Asia were 

 subject to unusual extremes of temperature. The Doctor called the 

 attention of the Academy to the peculiar curves of temperature be- 

 tween this city and Yokohama, which he illustrated by diagrams 

 as they were discovered to exist by Captain Doane : 



Climate of the North Pacific Ocean. 



BY JAMES BLAKE, M. D. 



In a paper I read March 7th on the subject of the meteorology of the past 

 winter, I advanced the opinion that the extreme climates to which we are occa- 

 sionally subject on this coast, and in fact over the whole globe, were owing 

 to the Equatorial and Polar currents of air prevailing in broad belts over con- 

 tiguous parts of the earth's surface for a considerable period. These views 

 have received most striking confirmation from the meteorology of the past 

 few months, during which extreme climates have still been prevailing over the 

 whole of that portion of the northern hemisphere about which we have any cor- 

 rect data. It is not, however, my intention this evening to analyse the whole of 

 these facts, but merely to bring before the Academy some interesting data that 

 have been furnished me by Captain Doane, of the Pacific ]Mail Steamship Com- 

 pany's steamship China, containing an abstract of the meteorological observa- 

 tions made on board in crossing the Pacific from here to Yokohama and back 

 during six consecutive voyages. The data contained in these observations 

 afford most important evidence of the correctness of the former views I ad- 



