cxxiv GENERAL SUMMARY OF SCIENTIFIC AND 



with the necessary personnel and apparatus for prosecuting 

 researches in geodesy, topography, geology, as well as nat- 

 ural history and ethnology, resulting not only in the accu- 

 mulation of a large mass of facts, but of many interesting 

 and important specimens as well. The former have been 

 promptly worked up into annual reports of progress, and the 

 latter deposited in the National Museum, in accordance with 

 the act of Congress to that effect, where they occupy a very 

 conspicuous place. 



Detailed reports of the labors for the year of these several 

 parties, as furnished by the officers in charge, will be found 

 in the body of the present work, rendering it unnecessary to 

 say any thing further here upon the subject. The final re- 

 ports of these expeditions, however, deserve further mention. 

 These will be, for the most part, in quarto, and the series for 

 each will embrace about six volumes, some of which are al- 

 ready published. Of Professor Hayden's survey there have 

 already appeared : " The Acrididce of North America," by 

 Professor Cyrus Thomas ; " The Extinct Vertebrata of the 

 West," by Dr. Joseph Leidy; "The Cretaceous Flora of the 

 West," by Professor Leo Lesquereux ; and " The Cretaceous 

 Vertebrata of the West," by Professor E. D. Cope, the last 

 mentioned having been published in 1875. Several volumes 

 of Lieutenant Wheeler's series are in press, and will be pub- 

 lished in the course of 1876. The first volume of Major Pow- 

 ell's report, that on his exploration of the Colorado River 

 in 1869-72, appeared during 1875. 



Apart from the labors of the three great expeditions there 

 have been less than usual of miscellaneous explorations in the 

 United States in 1875. In this connection, however, we may 

 mention the labors of the United States Fish Commission at 

 Wood's Hole, Mass. A party, composed as usual of several 

 scientific specialists, established itself at that station, where, 

 with the assistance of the apparatus of the Commission and 

 of the United States steamer Blue Light^ furnished for its 

 use by the Navy Department, and under command of Cap- 

 tain L. A. Beardslee, a large amount of scientific work was 

 accomplished, including a thorough exploration of the shores 

 of Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and the south side of Cape 

 Cod for a considerable distance, as well as of the intervening 

 waters. 



