636 Proceedings of Societies. [ October, 
Japan on the 11th of May and the disturbances which wrought, almost 
simultaneously, such destruction on the Peruvian coast, and were un- 
questionably the cause of the tidal waves, whose effects were noticed in 
such equally remote places as Hawaii and the eastern shores of the Aus- 
tralian continent. 
— In the San Joaquin and other valleys to the southwestward the 
plains are so parched that the whole surface of the earth presents the 
appearance of an ash bank. Even the ground-squirrels are deserting 
the plains and moving up toward the foot-hills in search of food. e 
Indians regard this migration as indicative of an approaching wet win- 
ter. — R. E. C. S. 
— Specimens of silver ore recently taken from the Cerro de Pasco sil- 
ver mines in Peru show that the submerged portion of the mountain is 
very rich, and a rough estimate indicates that a body of ore will be ex- ` 
posed by the new tunnel which Meiggs, the South American railroad 
king, is to build, worth from three hundred million to five hundred mil- 
lion dollars. These mines have laid under water for fifty years, and arè 
scarcely known to the present generation, though they had been worked 
for two hundred and fifty years, when the miners had to stop on account 
of the water. Peru has now discovered that a tunnel can be built which 
will drain the mountain completely by drawing off the lake from which 
the water in the mine comes; the first loads of the now submerged ore 
are expected to reach Lima in four months. It is predicted that within ten 
years more silver will be taken out than from the silver mines in Nevada. 
This tunnel will in importance be a rival to the famous Sutro tunnel, 
which is to drain the great Comstock lode of Nevada, though the latter 
is of much greater extent. — R. E. C. S. 
PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
Tue American ÅSSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF Scr- 
ENCE. — The twenty-sixth meeting of the association was held at Nash- 
ville, Tenn., beginning August 29th and ending September 4th, — the 
first gathering of the association in a Southern city for nineteen years. 
One hundred and seventy members and fellows were in attendance, and 
about two hundred and twenty new members were elected ; thirty were 
added to the list of fellows. Although the number of fellows and mem- 
bers present was less than at some former meetings, the number of ai 
members added was considerably above the average, and the papers a 
will compare favorably in point of number and quality with those 
. . iti | a 
previous sessions. The reception tendered by the citizens of ge 
to the association could scarcely have been more cordial or apprecia 
while the greatest harmony and good feeling characterized the ec iat 
tions of the meetings. The reason for the rather smaller at 
than usual is not far to seek, being evidently due in part to ~ 
