EARTHQUAKES.

It may be open to question whether the subject of earthquakes should properly be included in a memoir upon climatology. The subject belongs rather to geology. In the absence, however, of any systematic record of seismic phenomena in the State of California, a brief record of the quakes has been kept by the Weather Bureau. There is a well-defined belief among the older residents of California that earthquakes are preceded by a spell of sultry weather, and this is even known by the name of "earthquake weather." There is, however, no known relation between earthquakes and the weather. As shown by the following table, some of the most severe earthquakes have occurred when the conditions of weather were in nowise those which are said to be characteristic. The true causes of earthquakes must be sought elsewhere than in meteorological conditions.

January, 1897.-At Niles on the 29th, San Leandro 17th and 23d.

February, 1897.-At Descanso on the 16th and 25th.

May, 1897.-At Crescent City on the 15th, 23d, and 29th, Edmanton 15th.

June, 1897.-On the 20th at Campbell, Centerville, Hollister, North Hill Vineyard, Rio Vista, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, San Leandro, Santa Cruz, and Stockton. July, 1897.-At Castle Pinckney on the 18th.

August, 1897.-At Ukiah on the 19th.

September, 1897.-At Descanso on the 6th and 22d, Hollister 2d.

October, 1897.-At Campbell on the 2d and 17th, Descanso 27th, Niles 2d, San Francisco and San Jose 17th.

November, 1897.-At Descanso on the 12th and 22d, Escondido and Fall Brook 22d.
December, 1897.-At Niles on the 26th.

1898. The only severe shock experienced was on the 30th of March, when considerable damage resulted at San Francisco, Vallejo, and other points in the central and northern portions; and at Centerville, Alameda County, it was reported the most severe since October 21, 1868. January, 1898.-At Peachland, Sonoma County, at 5.15 a. m. on the 1st.

February, 1898.--At Bishop, Inyo County, a light shock on the 6th, and five distinct shocks between 3.30 and 5.30 a. m. on the 15th.

March, 1898.-At Descanso on the 3d, Upper Lake 17th; and the following stations reported unusually severe shocks on the 30th, at about 11.42 p. m.: Agnews, Berkeley, Campbell, Fort Ross, Georgetown, Hollister, Iowa Hill, Lytton Springs, Napa, Niles, North San Juan, Oakland, Oleta, Peachland, Rio Vista, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Leandro, Santa Cruz, Stockton, Upper Lake, Vacaville, Vallejo, and West Point.

April, 1898.-At Claremont on the 30th, Descanso 21st; Fort Bragg, Mills College, Oakland, Peachland 14th, Pomona 30th, Upper Lake 14th and 15th.

May, 1898.-At Cedarville on the 17th and 19th, Hollister 28th. There were frequent shocks during the month at Fort Bragg.

June, 1898.-At Descanso on the 23d and 24th, Ukiah 8th, 9th, and 11th, Upper Lake 9th.

August, 1898.-At Oakland on the 7th, San Leandro 28th and 31st.

October, 1898.-At Bishop on the 13th, Descanso 30th, San Bernardino 23d, Ukiah 15th. November, 1898.-At Centerville on the 14th, Summerdale 5th.

December, 1898.-At Centerville and San Leandro on the 7th.

January, 1899.-Light shocks occurred at Napa and Sonoma on the 13th, and at San Bernardino on the 24th.

March, 1899.-Light shock at Ukiah on the 7th.

April, 1899.-Light shocks at Oakland on the 5th and 30th, Cuyamaca 14th, Hydesville 16th and 18th. On the 30th quite heavy shocks were reported at Alvarado, Campbell, Capitola, Coyote, Gilroy, Glenwood, Hollister, Los Gatos, Niles (Centerville), Pacific Grove, San Francisco, San Leandro, Santa Cruz, Soledad, Stanford University, and Stockton.

May, 1899.-There was a light shock at Bishop on the 13th.

June, 1899.-On the 1st, at 11.20 p. m., severe shocks occurred at San Francisco, Niles, Oakland, Stanford University, Capitola, Mills College, Napa, and Livermore. Lighter shocks were also reported, as follows: On the 1st at Campbell, Moreno Dam, Peachland; 3d, Oakland; 5th, Bradley; 11th, Keeler, Porterville, and Milo; 13th, San Francisco, San Jose, and Berkeley; 25th San Miguel.

July, 1899.-At 12.10 p. m. on the 6th light shocks occurred at Berkeley, Boulder Creek, Campbell, Capitola, Coyote, Elmwood, Gilroy, Glenwood, Gonzales, Hollister, Lathrop, Le Grand, Los Gatos, Merced, Milbrae, Modesto, Mount Eden, Napa, Niles, Oakland, Pacific Grove, Salinas, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Cruz, and Stockton. Several severe shocks occurred in the southern portion of the State on the 21st and 22d, followed by lighter ones on the 23d, 28th, and 29th; reports were received from Anaheim, Arcadia, Colton, Duarte, El Cajon, Elsinore, Escondido, Fall Brook, Florence, Los Angeles, North Ontario, Pasadena, Pomona, Redlands, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Dimas, San Pedro, Santa Ana, Spadra, and Ventura.

August, 1899.-The following stations reported light shocks on the 4th and 5th: Ben Lomond, Boulder Creek, Campbell, Capitola, Glenwood, Lathrop, Los Gatos, Napa, Niles, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Cruz, and Tequisquita. There was also a slight shock at San Diego on the 21st.

September, 1899.-There was a severe shock at San Miguel on the 16th; two light shocks at Needles on the 20th.

October, 1899.-Light shocks occurred at Cuyamaca, Peachland, and Santa Rosa on the 12th; Moreno Dam, 11th and 28th.

November, 1899.-There was a light shock at Napa on the 16th.

December, 1899.-On the 25th sharp shocks were experienced throughout southern California; many observers reported the shocks the most severe ever known. Lighter shocks were also experienced frequently from the 25th to the 31st. Reports were received from the following stations: Arcadia, Banning, Claremont, Crafton, Cuyamaca, Duarte, El Cajon, Elsinore, Escondido, Fall Brook, Follows Camp, Girard, Hemet, Indio, La Mesa, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Monte, Moreno Dam, Needles, North Ontario, Norwalk, Ontario, Palm Springs, Pomona, Ravenna, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Dimas, San Jacinto, Sierra Madre, Tehachapi, Tustin, and Whittier. Lighter shocks were reported at Chico on the 12th, 13th, 19th, 20th, and at Napa on the 25th.

January, 1900.-At Campbell, Niles, and San Leandro on the 14th, Los Gatos 6th, Moreno Dam 28th, Napa 5th, Palm Springs, "frequently during the first part of the month," Peachland 31st, San Jacinto 1st, 2d, 4th, 9th, 13th, 15th, and 27th.

February, 1900.-At Claremont on the 2d, Cuyamaca 13th, Petaluma 9th, San Jacinto 7th and 9th.

March, 1900.-At Claremont on the 21st, Napa, Vacaville, and Vallejo 26th, Peachland 20th, San Jacinto 18th.

16th.

April, 1900.-At Cuyamaca on the 23d, Fall Brook 9th, Napa 16th, San Jacinto 15th and

May, 1900.-At Mount Eden on the 20th and San Jacinto on the 10th.

June, 1900.-At Cuyamaca on the 19th and 20th, Keeler 26th, San Ardo 9th.
July, 1900.-At Branscomb on the 12th and 13th, San Diego 23d, San Jose 28th.

- August, 1900.-At Elsinore on the 18th, Ferndale 16th; Mills College, Niles, and Oakland 31st, San Jacinto 19th, San Jose, Stanford University and Tequisquita Rancho 31st. September, 1900.-At Oakland on the 19th and Tequisquita Rancho on the 28th. October, 1900.-There was a light shock at Tequisquita Rancho on the 24th.

November, 1900.-Light shocks occurred at Branscomb on the 8th, Cuyamaca 5th and 19th, Fallbrook 14th, Moreno Dam 19th, Napa 25th, Oakland 24th, Penn Grove 13th. December, 1900.-There was a light shock at San Jose on the 30th.