Ixviii GENERAL SUMMAKY OF SCIENTIFIC AND 



Northern ]>oiindary Survey, intended to complete tlie labor 

 of establishing the true northern boundary between the 

 United States and I)ritisli America. Many years ago the 

 eastern section, from Maine to the Lake of the Woods, Avas de- 

 fined by Colonel J. D. Graham and others ; "while the marking 

 of the western, extending from the Pacific coast to the Ilocky 

 Mountains, Avas brought to a close in 1861, under the Com- 

 niissionership of Mr. Archibald Campbell. 



Tlie labor upon the remainder of the line, between the 

 Rocky Mountains and the Lake of the Woods, was under- 

 taken in 1872, also under the direction of Mr. Archibald 

 Campbell as Commissioner, and prosecuted vigorously in 

 1873. Major Twining, a prominent officer of the Engineers, 

 had charge of the physical work, while the natural-history 

 survey was intrusted to Dr. Elliott Coues, a surjxeon of the 

 United States Army, and a well-known naturalist. 



During the year 1872, the interval between Pembina and 

 the Lake of the Woods was carefully marked out ; and in 

 1873 several hundred miles have been carried farther to the 

 west, and it is thought that the work will be mainly com- 

 pleted in another season. Thanks to the facilities furnished 

 by Mr. Campbell, Dr. Coues was enabled to make very ex- 

 tensive collections in natural history, and his report to the 

 Commissioner will doubtless present facts of much interest. 



Another expedition of great magnitude was that fitted out 

 by the War Department for the protection of the surveying 

 parties of the Northern Pacific Railway, consisting of about 

 2000 men in all. This force was placed in charge of'General 

 Stanley, and concentrated at Foit Abraham Lincoln, on the 

 Missouri. It was composed often companies of cavalry, un- 

 der the command of Colonel Custer, and tliree battalions of 

 infantry, and was ninety-six days in the field. A large por- 

 tion of the railroad-line was located by the engineers accom- 

 panying the party, less trouble having been had with the 

 Indians than was anticipated. 



In accordance with the liberal policy of the Secretary of 

 War, a scientific party accompanied tliis expedition, consist- 

 ing of Mr. J. A. Allen, of Cambridge, as naturalist in chief, 

 and Mr. C. W. Rennett as assistant naturalist ; Dr. L. R. 

 Kettre as mineralogist ; Mr. Konopicky as artist ; and Mr. 

 Pywcll, as pliotographer. The region traversed proved to 



