280 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA 



Kegular Meeting, November 4th, 1872. 

 President in the Chair. 



Thirty-one members present. 



Rev, A. J. Nelson, James G. Steele, Rev. Joseph Wythe, James 

 F. Bowman, Rev. Otis Gibson, John S. Bugbee, and G. D. Wy- 

 man, were elected resident members ; and Richard S. Floyd, B. 

 Howard Coit, and Peder Sather, were elected life members : Henry 

 Glass, U. S. N., was elected a corresponding member. 



Donations to the Museum : Specimens of Reptilia and Crustacea 

 from San Diego, also, Lingula albida, and other rare species of 

 mollusks from the same locality, by Henry Hemphill. Crystal of 

 black quartz from Alaska, by William Burling. Specimen of lob- 

 ster, Asaphns Oregonense ^ Nutt., from the Stockton Slough, by S. 

 R. Throckmorton. Specimens of the Tule potato (a species of arti- 

 choke), from.. the tule lands of the San Joaquin river, and other 

 species of plants ; also specimens of two species of Hyla (tree 

 frogs), and specimen of nest of Marsh Wren, by C. D. Gibbes. 



Dr. Kellogg said he had just returned from under the shadow of 

 the finest evergreens that there were in California — true chestnut 

 trees, Castanea chrysophylla, from 100 to 200 feet high, 4 to 6 

 feet in diameter, with a clean trunk of 50 to 75 feet. Similar 

 statements he had made times unnumbered from the Academy's first 

 existence, and are in the Proceedings, but seem to be overlooked by 

 our Eastern friends. He would also state that, on the trip, he had 

 met with the Rhus aromatica, a shrub found in Sacramento City, on 

 his first arrival, in 1849, and often brought to his attention since. 

 This also had often been brought to the attention of the Academy. 

 A Vdnirnum is among the Academy's collection from this part of 

 California, (Mendocino County,) I'ecently presented, besides two 

 specimens of huckleberries, if no more. 



Mr. C. D. Gibbes remarked upon the variations of the magnetic 

 needle, noticed by him while surveying in the Upper San Joaquin 

 county, and the supposed cause thereof; the subject was discussed 

 by Prof. Davidson and Mr. Gibbes ; and the former expressed the 

 belief that if caused by ordinary local attraction, it could be ob- 



