45 



snow, a solid bine ice. This disappears during high 

 north-west gales as the cold, dry N. W. wind, full of 

 positive electricity sweeps over the mountains. Late in 

 December a singular ice formation was discovered. I 

 have searched meteorological works for a description, but 

 have not yet found whetiier it is known or not. It is a 

 transparent ice on the surface of rocks : cellular in struc- 

 ture, the cells mainly hexagonal, some triangular and a 

 few of an indefinal)le form. The cells averaged about 

 .25 inches in depth l)y .15 to .20 of an inch in breath. 



To sum u[) results, we may add that mountain observa- 

 tories are of the highest importance in the elucidation 

 of climatological proI)lems. The advantages secured 

 are of direct, practical l)enelit in the daily forecasts of 

 storms. Let the signal OfKce establish them, wherever 

 practicable, throughout the countr}', and meteorology will 

 be advanced shortly to the dignity of a science, a claim 

 hardly compatible with the facts at the present time. 



After Mr. Xclson had concluded the reading of his 

 interesting communication, the following votes were unan- 

 imously ado[)ted : — 



Voted, That the Secretary be requested to tender to 

 Hon. eludge Putnam of the 8u[)eri'>r Court, the thanks of 

 the Essex Institute for his interesting and instructive lec- 

 ture delivered at our last meeting, giving a very vivid and 

 graphic account of his visit to 01)er-ammergau during the 

 performance of the Passion Play in the summer of lt>71. 



Voted, That the Secretary be requested to transmit to 

 Mr. S. A. Nelson of Georgetown the thanks of the Essex 

 Institute for his interesting communication, giving a clcai" 

 and succinct account of the results of the meteorological 

 observations made during a residence on the top of Moimt 

 Washington in the winter of 1870-71. 



Adjourned. 



