EKPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 25 



Eiiton, of Yale Collci;"0, for the determination of the species and their 

 rehitious to the flora of other portions of the United States, bnt will finally 

 be sent to the lustitntion, to the care of which all specimens collected 

 by government expeditions are assigned. In the same connection it may 

 be mentioned that Dr. Hitz has continued his explorations on the upper 

 Missouri, and contributed specimens of fossils, skins of birds, eggs, &c. 



At the last session of Congress an appropriation vras made for ex[)lor- 

 ations under the direction of the Land Office. This survey, the coiuluct 

 of which was consigned to Dr. F. V. Hayden, extended over the Black 

 hills, Laramie plains, the headwaters of the Little and Big Laramie 

 rivers to Bridger's pass. It also included a survey along the Pacific 

 railroad from Fort Saunders to Green river. The report of this survey 

 has been made to Joseph S. "Wilson, esq., the Commissioner of the Land 

 Office, with whom all the specimens collected have been deposited. Dr. 

 Hayden, however, made an independent su.vey under the auspices of 

 the Institution, along the eastern base of the Eocky mountains to Den- 

 ver city, and southward to the Sangre de Christo pass, across the San 

 Luis Potosi park and the valley of the Rio Grande, and thence into New 

 Mexico, returning northward through the Poncho i)ass, across the Arkan- 

 sas into the South park, and through this into the mining regions of Col- 

 orado. Besides the geological notes whifch were made during this 

 expedition, a large number of spe<'imens was collected; and as no appro- 

 priation of Congress was made for the transportation of the latter, the 

 cost has been defrayed by the Institution. The specimens have been 

 received and are now awaiting their examination and final disposition. 

 Another exploration which will be mentioned under the head of 

 ethnology, was conducted by Dr. E. Palmer, in the Indian territory, 

 the collections from which were but little less important as illustrative 

 of natural history than of Indian life and ethnology. Dr. Palmer is nov/ 

 in the Institution assorting the specimens and prei)aring his notes for 

 publication. 



Middle and South America. — Colonel Grayson has been engaged in jirose- 

 cuting his exploration in northwestern Mexico, and has I'm iiished large 

 collections of its ornithology. To him more than to any other may justly 

 be ascribed, says Professor Baird, a knowledge of the species of birds ot 

 that region. Under the joint auspices of the Smithsonian Institution and 

 the Kentucky University, at Lexington, Professor Sumichrast, a well- 

 known naturalist long resident in Mexico, has gone to the Isthmus ol 

 Tehuantepec to make observations and collections in natural history, 

 Vvhich will doubtless throw light upon the geographical distribution of s[)e- 

 cies. Two boxes of specimens have just been received as the first fruits of 

 this expedition. Dr. Sartorius has also continued his important contribu- 

 tions from ^lirador. Ex])l()rations have been further prosecuted in Costa 

 llica, a region which has been the subject of much attention on the part 

 of the Institution, and a valuable collection of specimens has been 

 received from Mr. M. Calleja, made by himself and IMr. J. Zeledon, as 



