GENEEAL EEPOET. 
xix 
March, February, and January, of 32.8° ; giving a mean annual rate of 51.5°. 
The monthly means range from 28.6° in January to 76.2° in August. At 
the more elevated stations in Northern Nevada, (Fort Ruby, Camp Halleck, 
Camp Scott, Camp McDermit, and Camp McGarry,) the corresponding 
averages appear very nearly four degrees lower, October only having a dif- 
ference of twice that amount and ranking after the month of May instead of 
before it. On the other hand the temperature at Fort Churchill on the 
Carson River in Western Nevada, at an altitude of 4,284 feet, from March 
to September ranged from two to four degrees higher than at Camp Douglas, 
though from October to December nearly as much lower. 
During the winter of 1867-68 at Carson City, the month of December, 
as stated, was mild, with an average daily maximum of not less than 
50° and a mean minimum of about 20°. January, on the other hand, was 
remarkably cold, with a mean maximum of about 26° and a corresponding 
minimum of 10°, the observed extremes of temperature being 35.5° and 
— 10.0°. This cold term continued through February, the mean daily maxi- 
mum of that month being about 35° and the minimum below 10°, and for 
the first half of the month 6°, the extreme maximum observed being 50.5° 
and the extreme minimum — 16.0°. It is very notable that in Virginia City 
on the eastern slope of Mount Davidson, twelve miles distant and at an 
elevation nearly 1,500 feet greater, the temperature was uniformly and con- 
siderably higher. 
The thermometrical observations taken in the field in 1867 and 1868 
were not sufficiently continuous at any one station or altitude to authorize 
any very positive general deductions. The following series of readings, or 
when possible means of readings, will fairly illustrate, however, in some degree 
the daily range of temperature, the usually great dryness of the air as 
shown by the ditferences of the dry and wet bulb thermometers, tlie heat of 
the direct sun's rays as shown by the black bulb thermometer, and the amount 
of night radiation as shown by the minimum thennometer, while some other 
matters are noted as of interest in this connection. The first table is con- 
fined mainly to the low valleys of Western Nevada, the second to the higher 
valleys of Eastern Nevada, and the third to the mountain summits. It should 
be stated that the wet bulb was always fully exposed to whatever wind was 
blowing, as thus securing reliable indications of the actual evaporating power 
of the air under existing conditions. 
