IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ' ■. '\^ 1.0 1.1 11.25 US m m lit 2.0 1.4 iiiy^ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MSSC (71«) 172-4503 CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVI/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historicai IVIicroreproductions / institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques <\ > Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes tachniquas at bibliographiquaa Tha Instituta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat oric^nal copy avaHabla for filming. Faaturaa of thia copy which may ba bibliographicaliy uniqua, which may altar any of tha images in tha raproduction, or which may signiticantiy changa tha uaual mathod of filming, ara chackaid balow. □ D D D D Colourad covara/ Couvartura da coulaur r~~1 Covara damaged/ Couvartura endommagia Covara raatorad and/or iaminatad/ Couvartura raataurte at/cu peilicuMa □ Cover title miaaing/ Le titre de couvarture manque I I Coloured mapa/ Cartea g^ographiquaa an coulaur □ Colourad ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encra da couieur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) □ Coloured platea and/or illuatrationa/ Pianchea et/ou illuatrationa en couieur Bound with other material/ RaliA avac d'autrea documenta Tight binding may cauae ahadowa or diatortion along interior margin/ La re liure aarr6e peut cauaar de I'ombre ou de la diatortion la long de la marge intArieure Blank laavaa added during reatoration may appear within the text. Whenever poaaible, theaa have been omitted from filming/ II ae peut que certainea pagea blanchea ajouttea iora d'une reetauration apparaiaaant dana le texte, maia, ioraque cela 6tait poaaible, cea pagea n'ont pea 6x6 filmtea. Additional commenta:/ Commantairea aupplAmantairea; L'Inatitut a microfilm^ la meilleur exemplaira qu'il lui a 6X6 poaaible de ae procurer. Lea ddtaila de cet exemplaira qui aont paut-Atre uniquaa du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dana la mAthoda normala de fiimage aont indiqute ci-deaaoua. D D n n n n n Coloured pagea/ Pagea de couieur Pagea damaged/ Pagea endommagtea Pagea reatored and/or laminated/ Pagea reataurtea et/ou peliicul^ea Pagea diacoioured, atainad or foxed/ Pagea dAcolortea, tachettea ou piqu6ea Pagea detached/ Pagea dAtachtea Showthrough/ TranaparencA Quality of print variaa/ Quality inAgaia de I'impreaaion includea aupplementary material/ Comprand du material auppMmentaire Only edition available/ Seule Mition diaponible Pagea wholly or partially obacured by errata alipa, tiaauea, etc., have been refilmed to enaura tha beat poaaible image/ Lea pagea totalement ou partiellement obacurciaa par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure. etc., ont At^ film^ea 6 nouveau de fa9on 6 obtanir la meilleure image poaaible. The tott The poai ofti film Oris begi the aion oth( first aion orii Thia item la filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document eat film* au taux de reduction Indiqu* ci-deaaoua 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X X 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X a2x The shal TINI whii IS/lap diff( antii begi right requ metl lire ddtails jes du modifier |er une filmage The copy filmed liere has been reproduced thanlts to the generosity of: Library, Geological Survey of Canada The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in iteeping with the filming contract specifications. L'exemplaire filmi f ut reproduit grAce d la gAn^rositA de: Bibliothdque, Ccmmittion Giologiquo du Canada Les images suivantes ont At6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettet6 de I'exempiaire film6. et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the bacic cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. 6es Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimte sent filmis en commen^ant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la derniire page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmto en comrnen^ant par la premiere page qui comporte une emprein»e d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la derniire page qui comporte une telle empreinte. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol -^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol y (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants apparattra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ► signif ie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". re Maps, plates, charts, etc.. mey be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure ara filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent dtre f ilmis d des taux de reduction diff6rents. Lorsque le documerv. est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est fiimd d partir de I'angle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite. et de haut en bas. en prenant le nombre d'images n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. i errata d to le pelure, pon h ~n 1 2 3 a2x 1 2 3 4 5 6 I/: > SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS. 137 CmCULAIl TO OFFICERS OF THE HIDSON'S BAY COMPANY. The Smithsonian Institution has been engaged for several years in the prosecution of researclies relative to the climatology and natural history of the continent of North America. For this purpose the voluntary services of a large body of intelligent correspondents, distributed throughout the entire territory of the United States, have been secured, from vi^hom records of changes of the weather, and other phenomena, with facts and specimens in natural history of much interest, have been obtained. The observations thus accumulated have been reduced, and the results will shortly be published, both in tabular form and on maps, illustrating the lines of equal temperature: of rain at dif- ferent points : the mean direction and intensity of the wind : the character of the land, whether forest or prairie, fertile or barren : the distribution of various animals and vegetables, etc. Reports have been issued, or are in preparation, embodying detailed monographic descriptions of the Algte, the forest trees, the Verte- brata, insects, Mollusca, Crustacea, &c., of the continent ; and efforts made generally to furnish a full and perfect account of its natural and physical history. In the prosecution of these researches, a serious obstacle has been experienced in the lack of sufficient data from the region north of the boundary line of the United States, especially from its more northern portion. The isolated observations and collec- tions, which have from time to time been received, have proved of great interest and impjrtance; but the Institution now desires 3 m: m 1/ '/ 'f J to receive communications, if possible, from all inhabited portions of North America, especially from the stations of the Hon. Hud- son's Bay Company. And with this view it has obtained the sanction of the proper authorities for an application to the ofBoers of the Company for assistance, as shown by the accompanying letter of Sir George Simpson, Governor of the H. B. Territory. The attention of the friends of science is therefore respectfully Invited to certain points, which will be referred to more fully hereafter. In an accompanying package will be found detailed instructions in regard to making and recording observations, and it is only necessary here to indicate a few subjects which are of more particular interest. 1st. The beginning and ending cf storms of wind and rain, and the time when the sky is overcast. Records of this kind enable ns to map the face of the heavens over a large surface of country, and to determine the extent of a cloud, or of falling rain, snow, &c. Beside the regular variations of the meteorological instruments, special information is desired as to the occurrence of thunder storms ; the time of day at which they take place ; the direction from which they come ; their duration and intensity ; notice of trees or other objects which may be struck by lightning. 2d. Tornadoes, land and water-spouts, and whirlwinds. The width of the path along which the mechanical effects are pro- duced ; the direction of the path ; the appearance of the tornado at a distance ; the motion of the clouds over the head of the observer as the tornado approaches and as it recedes from him. Note whether any electrical phenomena are exhibited, such as thunder, lightning, and luminous appearances ; the mechanical effects, prostration of trees, and translation of heavy bodies. 3d. The aurora borealis : time of its beginning and ending ; time of the formation of arch, beams, and corona ; and whether there is a dark cloud below the arch ; and other points mentioned in the pamphlet of instructions. 4th. Time of early and late frosts, particularly first and last. Depth of ground frozen, in feet and inches ; disappearance of frost from the ground. 6th. Time of closing and opening of rivers, lakes, streams, &c., and any other phenomena relating to temperature. A single register of any one of these phenomena carefully made, 8 r t may prove of great service in tracing the changes of weat.\er over large districts of country ; for example, a Ivnowledge of the exact time at which a violent wind commences at a particular place mny enable us, with similar observations at other localities, to trace the progress of the disturbance through its whole course from its beginning to its ending. For more detailed instructions reference should be made to the accompanying blanks and pamphlets. Of the blank registers two different classes are sent. Those marked No. 1 are intended to record observations with all the instruments, with spaces to include the reductions for "Force of Vapor" and " Relative Humidity," which need not be fiiled up unless tiie observer himself prefers to make the calculations, which will otherwise be made at the Institution. Blanks No. 2 are intended for observers who have no instru- ments, excepting a thermometer; and if this instrument be broken, or the observer have none, valuable materials may still be furnished by filling up the other columns, and simply noting the beginning and ending of warm and cold spells. In the accompanying package will also be found blanks for recording periodical phenomena of animal and vegetable life. Such records will be of especial interest, as showing the progress and development of the seasons, and the geographical distribution of species. In the package will also be found detailed instructions in regard to the collecting and preparing objects of natural history. Speci- mens of the different animals will be particularly interesting, espe- cially of the small mammals, as mice, moles, shrews, gophers, weasels, rabbits, ground squirrels, marmots, etc. Good skins and skulls of the barren ground bear, the musk ox, and the reindeer, are much wanted. Attent'on is especially invited to the collecting of eggs of any and all kinds of the birds which may be met with. The species of most interest are the different eagles, hawks, and owls, snipes, sandpipers, plover, gulls, ducks, loons, grebes, etc. Care should be taken, as far as possible, to secure a parent bird of each set of eggs, for the purpose of identifying the species ; either the entire skin being preserved, or at least the head, wing, and tail. If a parent cannot be obtained, the eggs should nevertheless be ^:Mr' >m collected, and anj information communicated which may serre to determine the species. Sivins of any divers or grebes in full spring plumage, of the large black grouse, of the ptarmigan, or willow grouse (especially in summer dress), of the different kinds of Canada or black-necked geese, and of any waders in full breeding plumage, and in fact of Arctic birds generally, will be very acceptable. The different species of Salmonidse, as salmon, trout, whitefish, and grayling, are particularly desired by the Institution. In the absence of alcohol, these may be skinned and dried. Fishes of all kinds, however, will be much valued. Insects of all kinds will be highly prized, and, in fact, do object of natural history, however abundant and familiar, will be without its interest to the Institution. If suitable opportunities occur for the transmission of any re- turns to these circulars, either of specimens or of observations, they should be sent directly to the Smithsonian Institution, Wash- ington, D. C. ; if not, they should be forwarded to the care of the Governor of the Hon. Hudson's Bay Company. JOSEPH HENRY, Secretary S, I. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, April 20, 1860. APPENDIX. Ti^ HcDsox's Bay IIocse, Lachise, 31st Marcli, ISCO. To the Officers of the Hudson'' s Buy Companifa Service. Gentlemen : Having been applied to by the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution of Washington, for permission to invito the assistance of the Company's ofiBcers in conducting observa- tions, having for their object the development of the physical and natural history of the northern part of this continent, I have very cheerfully acceded to the request, and take the present means of commending the object in view to your favorable cc ' 'eration. You are well aware of the desire of the Company to promote the interests of science by all the legitimate means in its power. In the present case, where so much may be done by systematic and conjoined action, over a widely extended territory, it will be gratifying to learn that information and materials of a valuable character have been supplied from the stations of the Company, and by the industry of its officers. The accompanying circular and instructions, from Professor Henry, will explain more fully the objects of the Institution, and will be found to embrace all necessary information for your guidance. I am, gentlemen, Your obedient servant, G. SIMPSOX. i |; , •i: t if i' a p Mj