PALEONTOLOGY. 449 



not unlike that of the beds at Rancho La Brea, and representing a 

 fauna similar to that of Rancho La Brea in many respects, but evi- 

 dently either from a different environment or from a slightly different 

 time-stage. 



The work at Alturas, California, was conducted by Dr. Stock, 

 associated with E. L. Furlong, of the University of California. The 

 field studies this year were in continuation of work begun by a 

 palseontological expedition from the University of California in 1920. 

 Much interesting material was obtained. These collections, with 

 those of the previous year, have made possible an age determination 

 and a study of the relationships of this most interesting and heretofore 

 unknown fauna. 



The field work in marine formations was conducted by Remington 

 Kellogg in association with Mr. Furlong. To assist in the monographic 

 work in preparation by Mr. Kellogg, a number of excursions were 

 made through the kindness of Mr. Furlong. These expeditions secured 

 much material of interest, and the collections, added to those made 

 by the University of California in the course of the past twenty 

 years, open the way for a very important contribution on the evolution 

 of the seal and whale groups. 



The field work on fossil plants has been conducted by Ralph W. 

 Chaney, who has been assisted in the field by Mr. Russell, of the 

 University of California. Dr. Chaney's work was in continuation 

 of studies begun by him in association with the University of Cali- 

 fornia in 1920. Several typical localities in the Great Plains and 

 Rocky Mountain region were examined for comparative purposes. 

 The original localities at Rancho La Brea were visited and many 

 minor stations in central and southern California were examined. 

 The principal work relates itself to comparative studies of the numerous 

 fossil floras of late geological stages known as the Tertiary. It 

 extended through the marine formations of western Oregon, but 

 concerned mainly the splendid floras in the Tertiary of the John Day 

 region of eastern Oregon and in the Tertiary formations of south- 

 western Idaho, which are as yet imperfectly known. Very extensive col- 

 lections of fossil plants have been secured and study of this material 

 will furnish a large and important contribution to our knowledge of 

 the history of plants in the Pacific coast and Great Basin regions. 



The laboratory work conducted in connection with the studies 

 under way has involved, first, the preparation of extensive collections 

 for careful examination preliminary to description and interpretation. 

 Much of the Rancho La Brea collection at the University of Cali- 

 fornia still required freeing from the asphalt, and some of the most 

 important of the marine mammal collections were inclosed in a rock 

 matrix. Under the direction of Mr. Furlong, a large quantity of 

 material was prepared for study, and through the cooperation of the 

 U. S. National Museum other collections have been made ready for 

 the researches of Mr. Kellogg. 



