4 FIRST REPORT 



botanical and the zoological work of the survey under the 

 charge of. respectively, the professor of botany as State Botanist 

 and curator of the botanical museum, and the professor of 

 animal biology as State Zoologist and curator of the zoological 

 museum. 



The present State Zoologist was appointed by the Board of 

 Regents about three years ago. Nothing was done during the 

 first two years, other University duties taking me abroad one 

 year, and sickness making work impossible the other. Last 

 summer (1891) a party of three spent not quite four weeks on 

 Lake Vermilion, as much as the funds remaining after purchas- 

 ing apparatus and chemicals would permit. The exceedingly 

 bad and disagreeable weather reduced this time to about two 

 weeks. Nevertheless, some valuable data and experience were 

 gained that are of value for the future. 



It has been a surprise to me that so few of our "posted" citi- 

 zens know anything about the existence of a law creating The 

 Geological and Natural History Survey, and to dispel a little of 

 this ignorance where it ought not to be. I quote here the sec- 

 tions relating to the Natural History division of the Survey. 



"Section 1. It shall be the duty of the board of regents of 

 The University of Minnesota to cause to be begun as soon as 

 may be practicable, and to carry on a thorough geological and 

 natural history survey of the state. 



Section 3. The natural history survey shall include, first, an 

 examination of the vegetable productions of the state, embra- 

 cing all trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses, native or naturalized 

 in the state ; second, a complete and scientific account of the 

 animal kingdom as properly represented in the state, including 

 all mammalia, fishes, reptiles, birds and insects. 



Section 6. It shall be the duty of said board of regents to 

 cause proper specimens, skillfully prepared, secured and la- 

 beled, of all rocks, soils, ores, coals, fossils, cements, building 

 stones, plants, woods, skins and skeletons of animals, birds, 

 insects and fishes, and other mineral, vegetable and animal 

 substances and organisms discovered or examined in the course 

 of said surveys, to be preserved for public insiDection, free of 

 cost, in the University of Minnesota, in rooms convenient of 

 access and properly warmed, lighted, ventilated and furnished 

 and in charge of a proper scientific curator; and they shall 

 also, whenever the same may be practicable, cause duplicates in 

 reasonable numbers and quantities of the above named si)eci- 

 mens, to be collected and preserved for the purpose of ex- 

 changes with other state universities and scientific inslitu 

 tions. of which latter the Smithsonian Institution at Washing- 

 ton shall have the preference." 



