71 
at their pleurae, and have their tips deeply 
excavated, as in figure e, forming a spine. 
The species is closely allied to Colaspis 
arizonce, Crotch, and as it has the general 
appearance of a Coscinoptera and Sazinis, 
I immediately took it for Mrodora crucifera, 
Lee. But on sending specimens to Dr. Horn 
it was pronounced to be a Colaspis. I hope 
this distinguished author will soon give a 
better and more scientific description of this 
pretty insect. 
Carl F. Gissler. 
Brooklyn. E. D., October 29, 1878. 
Ed- Valley Naturalist: 
I have now in my possession a white swal 4 - 
low (H. horreoruno) which was shot on Sep- 
tember 5th, about two miles above here. The 
wings, back and tail are a dirty white, the 
throat tawney yellow, the breast and under 
parts white. This is the third that I know of 
being shot in the vicinity of Philadelphia 
during the last-twelve years. 
James S. Johnson. 
Frankford, November 18, 1878. 
Meteorological Report of the City of 
Oakland, California. 
BY J. B. TREMBLY, M. OAKLAND, CAL. 
Meteorological synopsis for the month of 
Dec, 1878. Observations taken at 6:30 a. m. 
and 2 and 9 p. m. Latitude 37° 48' 20" north. 
Longitude 122° 15' 20" west. Height above 
the sea 24 feet. 
BAROMETER. 
Mean barometer of the month 30.06 
Highest barometer, Dec. 13, 9 p. m 30.33 
Lowest " " 31,7 a. M 29.65 
Monthly range • 68 
THERMOMETER. 
Mean temperature for the month 46.49 
Mean temp, of warmest day, Dec. 4.... 58.00 
" " of coldest day, Dec. 29 37. 
Maximum temp. Dec. 3, 2 p. m 73. 
Minimum " " 29, 7:00 a. m.... 27. 
Greatest daily variation Dec. 3 33. 
Least " " " 5 4. 
Monthly range of temperature 46. 
Mean daily range of temperature 18.61 
RELATIVE HUMIDITY. 
Mean relative humidity of the month. . 77.37 
Highest mean humidity for 24 hrs. 8th 91.09 
Lowest " " " 13th 54.08 
Maximum humidity. 21st 100.00 
Minimum " 28th 38.06 
Greatest daily variation, 25th 45.06 
Least " " 3.03 
RECAPITULATION (BAY NURSERY). 
Rainfall in inches during the month.. . .31 
« , " " since July 1st, 1878. . 3.21 
WEATHER. 
Number of clear and fair days 25 
Number of cloudy days 6 
Number of days in which rain fell. .... 6 
Number of mornings of low fog 1 
No. of mornings of overcast high fog. . 0 
WIND— 93 OBSERVATIONS. 
Southwest and west 12 
Northwest and north 13 
Northeast and east 18 
Southeast and south 6 
Calm 44 
Comparative table for the month of Dec- 
ember for the years 1876, 1877 and 1878: 
1876. 1877. 1878. 
Mean barometrical pres're.30.01 29.99 30.66 
Mean temperature 47.26 49.53 46.49 
Maximum temperature 63.00 64.00 73.00 
Minimum temperature 31.00 30.00 27.00 
Memi relative humidity . . . .85.51 85.42 77.37 
Rainfall in inches . .40 1.75 .31 
No. clear and fair days 25 21 25 
No. days in which rain fell.. 00 8 6 
Mornings frost was seen. 19 12 18 
No. mornings low fog 9 1 1 
The dry, cold northeast winds, the extreme 
cold and hard frost during the month was 
unprecedented for several years past, if not 
for a much longer time, in Oakland. The 
mornings of the 14th and 29th were the cold- 
est. The record kept of the 14th says: 
" Morning clear; cold; a very heavy white 
frost covering sidewalks, streets and lawns; 
plants of almost every kind badly frozen ; ice 
formed half an inch thick on shallow pools of 
water in exposed situations ; frosts did not 
disappear on the shady side of the walks and 
lawns until 11 a. m.; the coldest weather 
ever experienced in Oakland, and seems to 
sympathize with the severe storms of snow 
and winds prevailing on the atlantic coast; 
the day, although cold was very pleasant." 
The gales of wind that prevailed on the 
12th, 13th and 28th, from the northeast, filled 
the atmosphere with fine dust, scooping it 
up in eddies from the street and whirling it 
into the air, or carrying the heavier particles 
of sand or whatever substances movable by 
its force from place to place as it swept along 
in its boisterous course. On the evening ff 
the 20th a very brililant meteor was seen at 
6:45 p. M., moving from the southeast to the 
northwest; when at an angle of about 45° 
with the horizon it broke into fragments at- 
tended with a concussion like that of a rock- 
et, but louder. At the moment of explosion 
the outer border of the bursting body gave 
out an almost white light, next reddish, nex 
light blue, next deep blue; central part 
seemed dark blue or black; the broken part 
burned for a moment and disappeared. This 
meteor was seen to pass over approximately 
about 20° of the horizon previous to its ex- 
plosion. The effect upon the vision w T as like 
vivid flash ©f lightning on a dark night, fill- 
ing the eye with momentary light and leav- 
ing the darkness darker still. The day had 
been cloudless, the evening was clear, with 
. an atmospheric chill of moisture setting 
clown on the earth, and bright starlight ov- 
erhead. There was no prevailing meteorolo- 
gical phenomena indicating either storms or 
winds. The preceding and following weath- 
er was of a sameness — clear, cool, with 
frosty mornings. From observation but few 
meteors are seen on the Pacific coast com- 
pared with what is observed in the interior 
of the continent. 
Directions for Sending Money for 
Books, Etc. 
Post Office Money Orders may be obtained 
in all cities or large towns, and are perfectly 
safe. We have received hundreds and have 
never met with any loss, when money had 
been sent in this way. 
When P. O. Money Orders can not be ob- 
tained, money may be safely sent by Regis- 
tered Letters. Every Post Office is obliged 
to register a letter for a small fee. 
Small sums of less that one dollar may be 
sent in one, two and three cent Postage 
Stamps. 
Write your letters plainly. Give the name 
of your Post Office, County and State. Al- 
ways write your own name at the bottom of 
your letters. We often receive letters, with- 
out any signature, or without any address. 
C. O. D. Express Companies charge for 
the delivery of books and for returning 
the money, and both must be paid by the 
party who orders the books. Express charges 
both ways, on small lots of books, to distant 
places, often amount to as much or more 
than the cost of the books, and we never ad- 
vise sending money in this way. When 
goods are ordered to be sent C. O. D., five 
dollars must be remitted with the order, to 
insure its against express charges if the 
goods are not taken, and the balance, with 
charges both ways, will be collected on 
delivery of the goods. 
Address all orders to 
THE VALLEY NATURALIST, 
Henry Skaer, Publisher, 
Room 38, N. W. cor. Third and Pine Streets, 
SAINT LOUIS, MO. 
Volume I of the Valley Naturalist, 
complete, for Sale at 75 cents per vol- 
ume, or two volumes for $1.25. 
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