24 NOTES BY THE EDITOR. 



expeditions have been despatched to these regions for scientific purposes. 

 The first of these parties has been organized by Prof. Hall, of Albany, N. 

 Y., assisted by the American Fur Company. It was under the direction 

 of Messrs. Hayden and Meek, the former of whom is an Accomplished 

 draftsman. The second expedition was under the charge of Dr. Evans, 

 the geologist attached to the surveying party of Gov. Stevens. The col- 

 lections made by Mr. Evans, will be deposited in the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion. The third expedition was from Prussia. All of these expeditions 

 were successful, and returned richly laden. 



A report from President Hitchcock, under a resolve of the Legislature of 

 Massachusetts, authorizing some new geological surveys, has been pub- 

 lished during the past year. It embraces two subjects, viz., the coal fields 

 of Bristol County and Rhode Island, and the marks of ancient glaciers in 

 Massachusetts, upon both of which, valuable and interesting information 

 is given. President Hitchcock thinks he has discovered traces of ancient 

 glaciers in the Western part of Massachusetts similar to those exhibited in 

 Wales and Switzerland. The three characteristics which are there observed, 

 viz., the rounding of ledges, the scratches in rocks, and the accumulation 

 of boulders or moraines are all visible here, particularly the two former ; 

 but they have been somewhat modified by the subsequent action of water. 



WE present to the readers of the Annual of Scientific 

 Discovery for 1854, a PORTRAIT OF EDWARD HITCHCOCK, 

 President of Amherst College, Geologist to the State of Mas- 



O ' O 



sachusetts, &c., &c. 



All communications intended for the Editor of the Annual, 

 should be sent to the care of Gould & Lincoln, 59 Washington 

 Street, Boston. 



