232 ANNUAL KECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



pool, who has devoted many years to the investigation of the 

 rates of ship chronometers, especially of those that sail from 

 Liverpool. At the observatory in that city, he has established 

 the means for conveniently testing the rates of these instru- 

 ments at the temperatures of 55, 70, and 85 degrees of Fah- 

 renheit. He finds, as the result of the examinations of more 

 than 1000 chronometers, that there is a definite temperature 

 peculiar to each instrument, in which it goes faster than in 

 any other temperature, and, as the number of degrees above 

 or below this temperature increases, the chronometer loses in 

 a rapidly increasing ratio. For any chronometer which has 

 been allowed to remain at the Liverpool Observatory for a 

 period of five weeks, there is issued a certificate of test, con- 

 taining the necessary data for calculating the correction due 

 to imperfect thermal adjustment. The establishment of a 

 similar chronometer observatory at the port of New York 

 would certainly be a great boon to navigation. 



SIXTH ANNUAL KEPOET OF DE. HAYDEn's EXPLOEATIONS. 



The sixth annual report, by Professor Hayden, of the United 

 Geological Survey of the Territories, has just been published 

 by the government ofiice, and embraces a statement of the 

 progress of explorations in 1872 in portions of Idaho, Montana, 

 and Utah, and constitutes a volume of 871 pages, contains 

 twelve lithographic maps, and a number of wood-cuts. Part 

 L embraces the reports upon the physical features of the 

 country, by Professor Hayden, M. P. Langford, Dr. Peale, F. 

 H. Bradley, and Cyrus Thomas, that of the last-mentioned 

 author having reference to the physical geography and agri- 

 cultural resources of Minnesota, Dakota, and Nebraska; Part 

 H. contains articles on paleontology and geology, by Les- 

 quereaux. Meek, Hayden, and Thomas ; Part HL is devoted 

 to zoology and botany ; and Part lY. to astronomical ob- 

 servations and altitudes. The whole work is of a substantial 

 and important character, filled with scientific essays and an- 

 nouncements of great value. 



eepoet op majoe j. ^v. barlow. 



The Secretary of War has communicated to Congress the 

 report of Major J. W. Barlow, United States Army, who ac- 

 companied a surveying' party of the North Pacific Railroad, 



