Hayden.] 322 [February. 



logical Society of Glasgow, was referred to the Secretaries, 

 and to report. 



It was ordered that the Transactions, new series, be pre- 

 sented to the Library of the College of Pharmacy. 



The following resolution, offered by Dr. Hayden, was 

 adopted : 



Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to procure pho- 

 tographic portraits of North American Indians for ethnological pur- 

 poses, and that an appropriation of fifty dollars be now made to carry 

 the object into effect. 



The following named gentlemen were appointed: Dr. Hay- 

 den, Dr. Wilcocks, and Mr. Peale. 



Dr. Hayden spoke of the great scarcity of timber in cer- 

 tain parts of the country about the upper waters of the Mis- 

 souri, and suggested the entire practicability of supplying 

 the country below with timber floated from the Black Hills 

 down the Sheyenne to the Missouri, and alluded to the re- 

 sources which Avere destined to exercise a great influence on 

 the future advancement of that region. 



Between the Mississippi and the eastern slope of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, the greater part of the land is properly entitled to the ap- 

 pellation of prairie country. After passing westward of longitude 

 95°, the timber becomes very scarce, until very little is seen except 

 that which skirts the strean)S. It is safe to say that not more than 

 one acre in fifty thousand is occupied by good forest trees, over and 

 comprising a belt or zone of five hundred miles in width, extending 

 from latitude 49° to New Mexico. Inasmuch as the geological for- 

 mations which underlie that region are for the most part of the Me- 

 zoic and Cenozoic ages, no very valuable beds of coal need be looked 

 for. It is true that the lignite beds of one of the great tertiary may 

 supply a considerable amount of fuel, yet that supply will be some- 

 what uncertain in its character. It becomes therefore a question of 

 great importance to the Western settlers, who are pushing westward 

 very rapidly and taking possession of those fertile lands, where they 

 will get their supply of tin)ber for building and other economical 

 purposes. The Black Hills, which form a part of Southwestern 

 Dakota, are at this time attracting a great deal of attention, and 



