Geological Conference.

At the Geological Conference held last night papers were read by Professor Wolff on "An Occurrence in Theralite in Costa Rica," and by Mr. R. DeC. Ward on "The Harvard Meteorological Stations in Peru." Mr. Ward also spoke about "A new Chart of Mean Annual Isotherms."

In the paper on Harvard Meteorological Stations in Peru, Mr. Ward Said: Various expeditions have been made to find a suitable place for a meteorological laboratory in high altitudes, one to Colorado in 1888 and another to California in 1889. Mr. Bailey in his search hit upon the Andes at a place in about 16 degrees south latitude. In this region it is very dry, there being an annual rainfall of but about four inches. The rain all falls between January and March and during nearly all the rest of the year the sky is clear and unobscured.

The main observatory was built in 1891 at Arequipa, a town about 80 miles inland and about 8000 feet above sea level. Here on a plateau about 400 feet above the town itself, a large house with a dome has been built, with laboratories connecting. Between this and the sea are two other observatories, one at Mollendo, 8 feet above the sea, the other at La Joya at an elevation of about 4000 feet.

In 1892 Professor Bailey reached the summit of Misti, an old volcano, 19,200 feet above the level of the sea. Here, with a great deal of trouble, an instrument shelter was built. It was the original plan to visit this station once in every ten days to wind the instruments there, which would run for that length of time. It was found impossible to visit Misti summit always at the interval of ten days, and now a meteorgraph has been made for the station which will run for three months.

The looting of the Arequipa observatory which was reported some months ago, was much exaggerated. Some savages broke into the instrument shelter on Misti summit and stole two instruments. This was the only loss suffered.

Down from Misti on the other side from Arequipa are several other stations, Mount Blanc (15,700 feet elevation), Hursos (13,400), Cazro (11,100), and Santa Ana (3,400). This forms a complete chain of stations, the most perfect in the world, reaching from Mollendo on the sea coast across the Andes.