26 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



1. The registers of the Smithsoniau Institution, embracing upward 

 of three hundred large folio volumes. 



2. The publications of the Institution, Patent-Ofdce, Department of 

 Agriculture, and public documents. 



3. All the published and unpublished records of the United States 

 Army, United States Lake Survey, and United States Coast Survey. 



4. The large volume compiled by Dr. Hough, from the observations 

 made in connection with the New York University system, the records 

 made in connection with the Franklin Institute, and those obtained 

 from numerous observatories and other scientific institutions. 



5. The immense collection of printed slips, pamphlets, manuscripts, 

 &c., in the possession of the Smithsonian Institution. 



The work Jias been somewhat retarded by the collection and tabula- 

 tion of the rain-fall, to the end of 1870 for the Smithsonian stations, 

 and to the end of 1871 for the United States military posts. 



Beside the discussion of the observations on temperature, rain, and 

 wind, there remain those relative to the pressure of the atmosphere, and 

 its humidity ; also those which are classed under the head of casual 

 phenomena, such as thunder-storms, tornadoes, auroras, meteors, early 

 • and late frosts, progress of vegetation, opening and closing of rivers, &c. 

 These will be put in hand as soon as the funds of the Institution which 

 can be devoted to meteorology will i)ermit the requisite expenditure. 



Explorations and collections.— -As in i)revious reports, it is proper to 

 make a distinction between the collections of the Institution and the 

 specimens exhibited in the public museum. The former are collected 

 as a part of the operations of the Institution, to advance science and 

 promote general education ; they are usually in great numbers, includ- 

 ing many duplicates of the same species. A type specimen of each 

 species and variety is deposited in the National Museum. The remain- 

 der are reserved for distribution to foreign establishments, and to 

 societies, colleges, and academies in this country, after they have been 

 submitted to scientific investigation and duly assorted and labeled. 



At the last session of Congress an appropriation was made of $12,000 

 for the continuance of an exploration of the region of the Colorado of 

 the \Yest and its tributaries, by Professor J. W. Powell, to be expended 

 under the direction of the Smithsonian Institution. The region here 

 mentioned is one of the most interesting in a geological point of view 

 of almost any in this or any other countr3-. The Colorado of the West 

 and its tributaries traverse chasms in some places over a mile below the 

 general surface of the country, and present in different ])laces at one 

 view sections of the principal members of the known geological for- 

 mations of the continent of North America. The region surveyed 

 lies between the 35th and 31)th parallels of latitude, and the 100th 

 and 115th meridians of west longitude. It includes the headwaters 

 of the Uintah, the Price, the San liafael, the Paira, the Kanab, and the 

 Virgin liivers, the lower i^ortion of the Grand, and a part of the 



