had no rain for nearly four months. Positive electricity in the at- 

 mosphere had been extremely low (only one quarter of a degree, 

 the usual mean being 3°). Positive electricity had been very 

 low this year. Thunder-storms are usually accompanied by nega- 

 tive electricity. 



Judge Holmes tendered his resignation as Corresponding Sec- 

 retary. 



August 3, 1868. 



Dr. Wislizenus, Vice-President, in the chair. 



Six members present. 



Dr. Wislizenus presented from the Hon. C. D. Drake the Re- 

 port of Commissioner Brown on the Mineral Resources of the 

 Country west of the Rocky Mountains. 



He stated, also, from his journal, that the mean temperature for 

 the last month had been 84° ; the mean for the last 30 years being 

 79°. The highest range in this month was ioii°, for several 

 days ; the lowest was 66°. Quantity of rain 2.03 inches ; the usual 

 average for the month being 4.17 inches. There had been nine 

 slight thunder-storms. Positive electricity low (about ii°). Dur- 

 ing the period of extreme heat, the mortality had rapidly increased. 



Dr. Charles E. Briggs was elected Corresponding Secretary, ia 

 place of the Hon. N. Holmes resigned. 



August 17, 1868. 



Db. Wislizenus, Vice-President, in the chair. 



Five members present. 



Foreign exchanges received were laid upon the table. 



Dr. Wislizenus, in addition to his report of the temperature of 

 last month, communicated the observations of Mr. Fendler, of Al- 

 lenton, St. Louis county, showing that on the i8th of July last, the 

 thermometer had stood at 109° in the shade, and at 156° in the sun. 

 During the same "heated term" in St. Louis, the thermometer 

 had stood for six days at above 100°, and for three weeks at over 

 90°, the daily maximum falling below 90° only three times. 



