150 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 
second time in the year. , In December 1850, there fell 1 inch of rain; 
in 1851, 7 inches; in 1852, 12 inches—the greatest quantity in any 
one month for three years and more; in 1853, 2 inches. 
The summing up for the year 1853 exhibits a mean temperature of 
514° at sunrise, and 65° at noon, which is warmer by two degrees than 
either}1851 or 1852. The lowest mark reached by the mercury was 
40°, or eight degrees above the freezing point. The extreme of heat 
was 88°. In 1852, the extremes were 35° and 98°; in 1851, 30° and 
84°; and in December 1850, the thermometer fell as low as 28°. The 
amount of rain in each month of 1853, was, in round numbers, as fol- 
lows: January, on eight days, 4 inches; February, four days, 1 inch; 
March, six days, 5 inches; April, eight days, 5 inches; May, three 
days, 4 inch; June, July and August, none; September, two. days, $ 
inch; October, one day, +4 inch; November, eight days, 14 inches; 
December, six days, 2 inches; making in the year, forty-four days on 
which rain fell, to the depth of 19 inches. In 1851, there was rain on 
fifty-three days, quantity 15 inches; in 1852, on sixty days, quanlily 
254 inches. From the Ist of January, 1858, to the dry season, the 
quantity was 163 inches; and from the dry season to the end of the 
year, 34 inches. The last rain of the Spring was May 24th, and the 
first of the Autumn was September 15th. The hills began to look 
green in the last week of November, and at the close of the year at 
least thirty species of plants were in bloom around the city, some 
them the lingering flowers of Summer, and a few the products of a new 
growth. There were two small specimens of thunder during the yeal, 
none of the aurora borealis, and a considerable sprinkling of meteors 
in the second week of August, and also in the fourth week of No- 
vember. 
4. Mammoth Trees of California.—An article in the Sonora Herald 
of August 27, 1853, contains the following statements respecting ! 
ammoth Trees of California, one of which was the subject of Prof. 
Gray’s remarks in the last volume of this Journal. The tree that has 
feet high. Another tree is lying near by, now 
within, and contains a cavity which for 250 feet.of its length averages 
0 or 12 feet in height; so that a man may enter it on horseback and 
ride the whole distance. From its diameter near its base, its circumfe- 
of 50 acres. The soil of this Mammoth Grove is moist and rich. — 
On the route from Sonora to the Grove, about 10 miles northward of 
Sonora, there are the ‘“ Natural Bridges” over the Cayote Creek, four 
miles below Vallecita. The rock is limestone. The entrance of the 
arch under the upper bridge is 25 feet wide and 30 feet high, and the 
