INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS DURING THE YEAR 1873. Ixix 



be less rich in natural objects than was anticipated, but large 

 collections were made ; and the report to be made by Mr. 

 Allen will prove an important contribution to science. 



Another War Department exjDedition was that under the 

 direction of Captain Jones, U. S. Engineers, having for its 

 object the determination of a suitable pass through the Wind 

 River jMountains. This accomplished its mission ; and in the 

 observations and collections made by Dr. C. C. Parry, Mr. J. 

 D. Putnam, Professor Comstock, and other civilian officers 

 of the party, much was done in addition for science in 

 general. 



Pre-eminent in the mao:nitude of their o-eneral results o-eo- 

 graphical, geological, physical, and biological are the two 

 great expeditions of Dr. Ilayden and Lieutenant Wheeler, 

 which have been carried on in continuation of the labors of 

 previous years, for the details of which we refer to the arti- 

 cles on pages 226, 232, 236, 248, and 251, respectively. The 

 results accomplished by these expeditions have been of the 

 highest importance. 



The labors of Major Po^Vell have also been prosecuted with 

 zeal, especially in the way of completing the great map of 

 the Colorado Valley, and securing reliable information and 

 collections relating to the Ute and other tribes of Indians. 



Professor Marsh and party returned to l^ew Haven, No- 

 vember Vth, after an absence of five months in the Rocky 

 Mountain region and on the Pacific coast. The present ex- 

 pedition had the same object in view as those of previous 

 years, viz., a study of the vertebrate fossils of the West, espe- 

 cially those of the Cretaceous and Tertiary formations. The 

 firstexplorations of the year were made in the Pliocene depos- 

 its near the Niobrara River. The party fitted out in June 

 at Fort McPherson, Nebraska, and, accompanied by an es- 

 cort of two companies of U. S. cavalry, proceeded to the Ni- 

 obrara, and worked in that country for several weeks. Ow- 

 ing to hostile Indians, the explorations of the party here 

 were attended with much difficulty and danger, but were on 

 the whole quite successful. Many new animals were discov- 

 ered, and ample material secured, for a full investigation of 

 those previously known from that region. 



A second expedition was made in August from Fort Bridg- 

 er, Wyoming, and large collections of Eocene fossil verte- 



