MEAN METEOROLOGICAL RESULTS AT TORONTO, DURING THE be increased by 1°. Even with this modification the temperature of every

DIRECTOR OF THE PROVINCIAL MAGNETIC OBSERVATORY, TORONTO.

Read before the Canadian Institute, 2d February, 1856.
The mean temperature of the year 1855 was 43°.98, or 0°.29, below the
average of 16 years. This was caused by the great and continued depres-
sion in February, for which there was no adequate compensation during the
rest of the year, notwithstanding that the mean temperature of every
month was above the average, with the exception of February, March,
June and August.

The hottest month in the year was July, and the coldest February.
climatic difference was 520.5, which is 8°.8, above the average, and
greater than in the preceding year.

The

19.1,
The mean temperature of February was 15°.4, which is the lowest month-
ly temperature on record, except that of February 1843, when the tempe-
rature of the month was 149.5.

The lowest temperature ever recorded, -25°.4, occurred on February
6th. The lowest that ever occurred before having been on January 17, 1840,
when it fell to 18.4.

-149.38.

The hottest day was July 19th, with a mean temperature 79°.45; and
the coldest day February 6th, when the mean temperature of the day was
It is to be noticed that, the coldest day, February 6th, was also
the day in which the lowest temperature occurred. The mean temperature
of the day was nearly 10° lower than that of any day ever before experi-

enced at the Observatory.

The

The greatest daily range was 39°.4, and occurred on May 24th.
range of the whole year from -25°.4, on February 6th, to 92°.8, on July
19th, was 118°.2; the greatest yearly range that occurred in past years
having been 111.3, in 1846.

There have been 42 instances in which the temperatures at the hours of
observation have deviated more than 20° from the normal march of tem-
perature, the most extreme instances being at 8 A. M. on February 6th,
when the temperature was 45°.7, below the normal, and at 6 A. M. on Janu-
ary, when the temperature was 23°.7, above it.

month was below that dependent on geographical position excepting the temperature of July, which was, however, only 0.25 in excess.

The highest reading of the barometer was 30.552 in., at 6 A. M. of Janu-
ary 8th, and the lowest 28.459 inches, at 2 P. M. of December 9th, giving
a range 2.093 inches, the greatest range on record. The minimum just giv-
en, 28.459 inches, is the lowest ever registered at the Observatory.

The mean humidity of the year was 77; the greatest monthly humidity
82, having been that of January, and the least 65 that of May. Com-
plete saturation occurred five times, viz-on February 13th, at midnight;
March 15th, at 6 A. M.; June 10th, at 6 A. M; September 21st, at midnight;
and November 17th, at 10 P. M. There were besides, five instances in which

ary

the humidity fell short one per cent. only of complete saturation-on Janu-
12th, at 10 P. M.; February 13th, at 10 P. M.; February 14th, at 6 A. M.;
March 13th, at midnight; and November 12th, at 10 P. M. The lowest hu-
midity 19 was on April 27th, at 2 P. M.

The extent of sky clouded was on an average three-fifths of the whole;
and for nine months the sky was on an average more than half overcast.
Clouds were most prevalent in January and least so in August.

The mean direction of the wind has been W 28°N, with a mean velocity
of 8.1 miles per hour, a velocity one-third greater than that of any other
This excess of mean velocity, when compared with that of
former year.
former years is to be noticed, not only with respect to the year taken as a
whole, but to each month also taken separately.

The depth of rain has been 31 650 inches, which is 286 more than the
average. By adding 9 9 inches, the equivalent corresponding to the 99
inches of snow that has fallen, we obtain a total fll of 41 55 inches. The
greatest quantity of rain fell in September, and the least in February. The
rain was distributed over 103 days, and the snow over 64, so that there
have been 198 days without either rain or snow.

Frost occurred in every month but July; the latest in spring having
been on June 12th, and the earliest in autumn on August 18th. The last
snow in spring was on May 8th. at noon; and the first snow in autumn on
The Indian Summer, which was not well marked,
October 13th, at 8 A. M.
occurred from October 16th to October 26th. Toronto Bay was clear of ice
on April 16th, and again crossed on foot on the 21st December.

There have been 38 thunder-storms in the year. Of these none occurred

THE CANADIAN JOURNAL.

NEW SERIES.

No. III. - MAY, 1856.

THE ANCIENT MINERS OF LAKE SUPERIOR.
BY DANIEL WILSON, LL. D.,

PROFESSOR OF HISTORY AND ENGLISH LITERATURE, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, TORONTO.

Read before the Canadian Institute, January 26th, 1856.

During the past summer of 1855, it was my good fortune to accomplish a long desired visit to the ancient copper country of Lake Superior, where, more perhaps than on any other spot of this continent, may be witnessed the incipient traces of aboriginal arts and civilization. On that occasion I had an opportunity of exploring part of the rich copper-bearing region of Keweenaw Point and the adjacent country, and witnessing for myself evidences of ancient mining operations, which prove the existence, at some remote period, of the rudiments of native metallurgic arts.

The Keweenaw Peninsula is traversed obliquely by a range of trap rock, rising in some places into magnificent cliffs of several hundred feet in height; and in this igneous rock, which passes in a southwestern direction across the Keweenaw Lake into the inland country, are found the rich copper veins which have already conferred such great commercial value on that district of Michigan. In their present state, it is difficult to realize the conception that these copper regions were ever ransacked for their mineral treasures, or explored by any other but the stray hunter of the forest, until the commencement of regular mining operations in very recent years.

Landing at Eagle River, I made my way some miles into the country, through dense forest, over a road, in some parts of rough corduroy, and in others traversing the forest in its gradual ascent,