68 BULLETIN OE THE 



S'Tth Mseting. December 21, 18T2. 



The President in the Chair. 



Mr. Charles S. Peircb, of Cambridge, made some remarks 



ON the coincidence op the geographical distribution of rain- 

 fall AND OF ILLITERACY, AS SHOWN BY THE STATISTICAL 

 MAPS OF THE NINTH CENSUS REPORTS. 



(ABSTRACT.) 



The author called attention to the striking resemblance between 

 the map showing the distribution of illiteracy (the percentage of 

 population unable to read or write) in the United States, given 

 in the Report of the Census of 1870, and the map showing the 

 distribution of rainfair during the three winter months published 

 in Mr. Schott's reduction and discussion of the Smithsonian ob- 

 servations of that element. Mr. Peirce suggested as a possible 

 explanation for the resemblance that the copious winter rains 

 would produce agricultural plenty, which in its turn would favor 

 indolence. 



Mr. T. Gill read a paper 



ON THE SCOMBROCOTTUS SALMONEUS OF PETERS. 



Mr. J. E. HiLGARD read a report 



ON THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL METROLOGICAL 

 COMMISSION. 



38th Meeting. January 4, 18T3. 



The President in the Chair. 

 Prof. J. R. Eastman read a paper on 



A COMPARISON OP THE THERMOMETERS USED TO DETERMINE THE 



CORRECTION FOR ATMOSPHERIC REFRACTION AT THE U. S. 



NAVAL OBSERVATORY. 



^ (ABSTRACT.) 



The discrepancies between the two thermometers used in th& 

 observations with the transit circle and the standard thermometer 



