561 
Mr. Chase offered for publication in the Proceedings a 
first approximation to a curve of Normal Temperature in 
the Northern regions of the Continent. 
Mr. A. H. Smith described his observations of the Sub- 
alpine botany of the North Shore of Lake Superior, in the 
Summer of 1871, and of ifs absence in the Lake Nibbegong 
region, further north, which he had explored in the Summer 
of 1872; this change of flora he was led to ascribe to the 
fact that the waters of Lake Superior were much colder 
than those of Lake Nibbegong. His collection of mosses 
he had placed in the hands of Mr. James for examination. 
He described the ascent of the Nibbegong River and the 
thousand islands in the lake itself, which has scarcely been 
visited by any observers who could report scientific facts. 
Mr. Gabb instanced an analogous change of flora from the 
coast to the interior of the northern part of Lower Cali- 
fornia. 
Dr. Le Conte said that he woudl assign a hygro-metric 
cause for this difference, and added that a similar difference 
was known to exist between the faune of the coast and the 
interior as far across as to the banks of the lower Rio 
Grande; and that the line of distinction was sharp and 
sudden, being drawn along the summit of the coast range 
of mountains, a barrier not more than 3000 feet high at the 
place to which he referred. It was evident that the wet 
winds of the west flank of this barrier and the dry air of 
its easteru, which made the change in flora and fauna. 
Professor Haldeman introduced the topic of the Rhyme- 
law of the Sonnet in European literature. Tle had made 
extensive collections of Sonnets and studied their construe- 
tion for the purpose of discovering a normal rhyme arrange- 
ment. So far from that, he had already tabulated 600 (six 
hundred) arrangements of the sonnet with a prospect of 
adding to his tables more. 
Pending nominations, Nos. 708 to 707 were read. 
And the meeting was adjourned. 
A. P, 8. —VOL. X1t.—38. 
