x.wi GENERAL SUMMARY OF SCIENTIFIC AND 



recently published explorations in Madagascar, by Grandi- 

 dier, have tilled out a large gap in the history of that country. 

 In our own country an unusual amount of exploration has 

 been prosecuted in the Far West, the expeditions of Mr. 

 Clarence King, Dr. llayden, Professor Marsh, Captain Powell, 

 Lieutenant Wheeler, and others, contributing to swell the 



general result. 



Although no special work of note has been done in Central 

 America during the year, the reports of the expeditions to the 

 [sthmus ofDarien and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec have been 

 published in brief, and are in course of preparation on a more 

 elaborate scale. Professor Ilartt has made a further explora- 

 tion of Brazil, in continuation of several preceding it, and has 

 brought back valuable collections of natural history, and 

 many notes upon the languages and the ethnology of the 

 country. 



Quite a number of parties have been engaged in prosecut- 

 ing inquiries in regard to temperature, currents, and organic 

 life in the deep seas, the most important expedition being 

 that of the Ilasskr, which left Boston in December last, with 

 Professor Agassiz and a party of specialists on board, and 

 which expects to prosecute its labors all the way to Califor- 

 nia by the way of the Straits of Magellan. Advices have 

 been received from the party as far as Pernambuco, showing 

 already a gratifying amount of success in their mission. Oth- 

 er local explorations of the same kind have been conducted by 

 the "Flora and other vessels on the coast of Great Britain; 

 by the Porcupine in the Mediterranean; in the Gulf of St. 

 Lawrence by Mr. Whiteaves ; and in the Vineyard Sound by 

 Professor Baird, Professor Verrill, and their associates; while 

 similar labors were prosecuted by Professor S. J. Smith in 

 Lake Superior, and by Mr. J.W. Milner in Lake Michigan. 



The usual amount of activity has been exhibited in the way 

 <>f research in Zoology, both general and special; and not 

 only have numerous specimens been described, but many im- 

 portant facts in regard to the habits and peculiarities, physi- 

 ological relationships, etc., have been announced. The pages 

 of ilif present Record must be referred to for fuller informa- 

 tion "M this subject, as it is difficult to make a selection of 

 what is really considered as most important. We may men- 

 tion, however, that the subject of Darwinism has elicited a 



