102 TRANS. OF THE ACAD. OF SCIENCE. 



Dr. Kocli presented specimens of quartz and of the silieious 

 conglomerate from Madison County mentioned in Dr. Hil- 

 gard's letter. 



Dr. Engelmann stated that the mean temperature of July 

 (77.°5) had been lower than the usual mean of that month, 

 and that the fall of rain during the same month (2.04 inches) 

 was about one-half less than usual. 



Dr. Wislizenus stated that the mean of atmospheric elec- 

 tricity of July had been 3.5° less than that of the month pre- 

 vious, and that the amount had been gradually decreasing 

 since winter. 



August 19, 1861. 

 The President, Dr. Engelmann, in the chair. 



Six members present. 



A letter was read from A. F. Bandelier, Jr., Highland, 111., 

 Aiiff. 1, 1861, communicating meteorological observations at 

 Highland. 



The following donations to the library were received : 



Bull, de la Societc Ge'ologique de France, Ser. ii., T. XVIII., Feuilles 

 13-14, 22-31, Paris, 1861, from the Society; Proc. Amer. Phil. Society, 

 Philad., Vol. XVIII., No. 05, 1861, from the Society; Jour. Franklin Inst., 

 Philad., Aug. 186 1, from the Institute; Proc. Acad. Nat. Sciences, Philad., 

 June, 1861, from the Jcademy ; Maximilian I. Konig von Bayern oder der 

 Oberstpostmeister Napoleon's, von Prof. Dr Job. Gistel, Miinchen, 1854, — 

 Statuten des Munchener Vereins fur Naturk., 1849, von G. Tilesius,— 

 Isis No. 2, 1850, from the Society; Bull, de la Soc. Imp. zool. d'Acclimata- 

 tion, Paris, T. VIII., No. 6, 1861, from the Society. 



Mr. Holmes read from Dr. B. F. Shumard the following 

 sketch of the life and scientific labors of the late Dr. John 

 Evans: 



Dr. John Evans. — The subject of the present sketch, whose death was 

 announced at a former meeting of the Academy, was the son of Hon. 

 Richard Evans. Judge of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts. He was 

 born at Portsmouih, Feb. 14, 1812, and educated at Andover, Massachu- 

 setts. Early in life he entered a commercial house in the latter State, 

 and for several years devoted himself assiduously to mercantile pursuits. 

 He then removed to Washington City, and for many years acted as clerk 

 in the Post Office Department and Auditor's Office. In 1835, he married 

 a daughter of Robert Mills, Esq., Engineer and Government Architect of 

 Washington. . 



Dr. Evans commenced active Geological pursuits during the year 1847, 

 as a member of the Geological Corps sent out by the U. S. Government, 

 under the direction of the late Dr. David Dale Owen, to explore the 

 North-west Territory. While connected with that survey Dr. Evans 

 rendered efficient service, and so much confidence was had in his ability, 

 that in the autumn of 1849 he was detailed to make some important 

 observations in the Upper Missouri country. During this tour Dr. 

 Evans made an excursion to the celebrated Mauvaises Terres of Ne- 

 braska, and he has the credit of having been the first scientific explorer 

 who visited those vast cemeteries of extinct animals which have excited 



